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Ronald Knudsen

Ronald Knudsen NPO Music Director

As a highly respected member of Boston's professional musical community, Ronald Knudsen is known as performer, conductor and educator. Throughout his extended career he has devoted himself to bringing classical music of all kinds to the widest possible audience. Born in Nebraska and raised in Minnesota, Mr. Knudsen studied at the MacPhail School of Music in Minneapolis and Peabody Conservatory. Following Peabody he was a Tanglewood Music Center fellowship student, serving as both the orchestra's concertmaster and soloist.

Mr. Knudsen is now in his 43rd season as a member of the Boston Symphony violin section. Before coming to Boston in 1965 Mr. Knudsen was a member of the Baltimore and Detroit symphony orchestras. Since arriving in Boston Mr. Knudsen has been active in many aspects of Boston's musical community. He was the original violinist in the contemporary music group Collage and in 1971 he helped to found the Curtisville Consortium, a chamber ensemble of BSO players and friends playing a series of chamber concerts each summer in the Berkshires. He has been a violin soloist with the Boston Pops, Brockton Symphony, Newton Symphony and Worcester Orchestras and appears annually in chamber programs throughout Massachusetts.

Ronald Knudsen conducting NPO

As a conductor Maestro Knudsen has conducted numerous orchestras throughout New England and in Japan. He served as Music Director of the Brockton and Newton Symphonies prior to being invited to be Music Director of the NPO. In June 1990 Maestro Knudsen made his conducting debut with the Boston Pops Orchestra and since that time has been a regular guest conductor with both the Boston Pops and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestras. His appearances in December 1999 mark his 10th season as a Boston Pops guest conductor. In addition, he has guest conducted for a variety of chamber and pops orchestras around the New England area. Maestro Knudsen has been acclaimed by the press, orchestra and audience for his programming, conducting skill and ability to bring professional standards to a non-professional orchestra.

On a personal level, in addition to playing and conducting Mr. Knudsen repairs fine old string instruments. He is married and lives in Newton where, in his "spare" time he works on the restoration of his historical Victorian period home. He has two children and four grandchildren all living in the area. His son Sato is a member of the Boston Symphony cello section and his daughter Mayumi is a graphic desinger. Ron is the recipient of a number of civic awards including Newton Pride Award for Excellence in the Arts and the 1997 Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce Appreciation Award.

Maestro Knudsen conducting at the First Baptist Church

Click here to view Maestro Knudsen's BSO bio. Click on the 89.7 image to hear a WGBH interview with Maestro Knudsen.

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