Twin Cities native Isaac Thompson, currently president and CEO of the Oregon Symphony, has been appointed the Minnesota Orchestra’s president and CEO, the symphony announced Friday.

Isaac Thompson will begin his new role on Oct. 14, 2025. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Orchestra)

“It is a great pleasure to welcome Isaac back to his ‘home’ orchestra as its new administrative leader,” said board chair Nancy Lindahl in a news release. “We were drawn to Isaac’s vision for what an orchestra can mean to its community when it knits together artistic, social and civic connections with real impact. He comes to this role with an impressive background encompassing creative collaborations with orchestra musicians and artistic leaders, significant experience securing private and public support, an understanding of how to truly strengthen community connections and a bold, entrepreneurial spirit — not to mention a deep-seated love for the Minnesota Orchestra.”

Thompson succeeds interim president and CEO Brent Assink, who began serving in that role in September following the departure of Michelle Miller Burns, who took the top administrative role with the Dallas Symphony. Thompson will begin his new role on Oct. 14.

Thompson played in the Minnesota Youth Symphonies and studied violin with Nancy Lokken and former Minnesota Orchestra Concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis in high school. He received a bachelor of music in violin performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a master’s from the University of Texas at Austin.

He worked for the Milwaukee Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony and the New York Philharmonic before joining the Oregon Symphony. Thompson serves on the boards of the League of American Orchestras and Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media.

“The opportunity to return to Minnesota to lead my hometown orchestra at this moment is deeply meaningful,” Thompson said. “Many of my formative musical experiences occurred at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, and I credit my knowledge of and love for the symphonic repertoire to the Minnesota Orchestra.”

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By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Asian countries are offering to buy more U.S. liquefied natural gas in negotiations with the Trump administration as a way to alleviate tensions over U.S. trade deficits and forestall higher tariffs. Analysts warn that strategy could undermine those countries’ long-term climate ambitions and energy security.

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Buying more U.S. LNG has topped the list of concessions Asian countries have offered in talks with Washington over President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign goods. Vietnam’s Prime Minister underlined the need to buy more of the super-chilled fuel in a government meeting, and the government signed a deal in May with an American company to develop a gas import hub. JERA, Japan’s largest power generator, signed new 20-year contracts last month to purchase up to 5.5 million metric tons of U.S. gas annually starting around 2030.

U.S. efforts to sell more LNG to Asia predate the Trump administration, but they’ve gained momentum with his intense push to win trade deals.

Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is natural gas cooled to a liquid form for easy storage and transport that is used as a fuel for transport, residential cooking and heating and industrial processes.

Trump discussed cooperation on a $44 billion Alaska LNG project with South Korea, prompting a visit by officials to the site in June. The U.S. president has promoted the project as a way to supply gas from Alaska’s vast North Slope to a liquefication plant at Nikiski in south-central Alaska, with an eye largely on exports to Asian countries while bypassing the Panama Canal Thailand has offered to commit to a long-term deal for American fuel and shown interest in the same Alaska project to build a nearly 810-mile pipeline that would funnel gas from

The Philippines is also considering importing gas from Alaska while India is mulling a plan to scrap import taxes on U.S. energy shipments to help narrow its trade surplus with Washington.

“Trump has put pressure on a seeming plethora of Asian trading partners to buy more U.S. LNG,” said Tim Daiss, at the APAC Energy Consultancy, pointing out that Japan had agreed to buy more despite being so “awash in the fuel” that it was being forced to cancel projects and contracts to offload the excess to Asia’s growing economies.

“Not good for Southeast Asia’s sustainability goals,” he said.

LNG deals could derail renewable ambitions

Experts say LNG purchasing agreements can slow adoption of renewable energy in Asia.

Locking into long-term deals could leave countries with outdated infrastructure as the world shifts rapidly toward cleaner energy sources like solar or wind that offer faster, more affordable ways to meet growing power demand, said Indra Overland, head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

Building pipelines, terminals, and even household gas stoves creates systems that are expensive and difficult to replace—making it harder to switch to renewables later. “And you’re more likely then to get stuck for longer,” he said.

Energy companies that profit from gas or coal are powerful vested interests, swaying policy to favor their business models, he said.

LNG burns cleaner than coal, but it’s still a fossil fuel that emits greenhouse gases and contributes to climate change.

Many LNG contracts include “take-or-pay” clauses, obliging governments to pay even if they don’t use the fuel. Christopher Doleman of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns that if renewable energy grows fast, reducing the need for LNG, countries may still have to pay for gas they no longer need.

Pakistan is an example. Soaring LNG costs drove up electricity prices, pushing consumers to install rooftop solar panels. As demand for power drops and gas supply surges, the country is deferring LNG shipments and trying to resell excess fuel.

The LNG math doesn’t add up

Experts said that although countries are signaling a willingness to import more U.S. LNG, they’re unlikely to import enough to have a meaningful impact on U.S. trade deficits.

FILEL – Energy Secretary Chris Wright holds a report concerning U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as he speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington, on March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

South Korea would need to import 121 million metric tons of LNG in a year — 50% more than the total amount of LNG the U.S. exported globally last year and triple what South Korea imported, said Doleman. Vietnam — with a trade surplus with the U.S. twice the size of Korea’s — would need to import 181 million metric tons annually, more than double what the U.S. exported last year.

Other obstacles stand in the way. The Alaska LNG project is widely considered uneconomic. Both coal and renewable energy in Asia are so much cheaper that U.S. gas would need to cost less than half its current price to compete. Tariffs on Chinese steel could make building building gas pipelines and LNG terminals more expensive, while longstanding delays to build new gas turbines mean new gas power projects may not come online until 2032. Meanwhile, a global glut in LNG will likely drive prices lower, making it even harder for countries to justify locking into long-term deals with the United States at current higher prices.

LNG deals raise energy security concerns

Committing to long-term U.S. LNG contracts could impact regional energy security at a time of growing geopolitical and market uncertainties, analysts said.

A core concern is over the long-term stability of the U.S. as a trading partner, said Overland. “The U.S. is not a very predictable entity. And to rely on energy from there is a very risky proposition,” he said.

LNG only contributes to energy security when it’s available and affordable, says Dario Kenner of Zero Carbon Analytics.

“That’s the bit that they leave out … But it’s pretty important,” he said.

This was the concern during the recent potential disruptions to fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and earlier during the war in Ukraine, when LNG cargoes originally destined for Asia were rerouted to Europe. Despite having contracts, Asian countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were outbid by European buyers.

“Events in Europe, which can seem very far away, can have an impact on availability and prices in Asia,” Kenner said.

Asian countries can improve their energy security and make progress toward cutting carbon emissions by building more renewable energy, he said, noting there is vast room for that given that only about 1% of Southeast Asia’s solar and wind potential is being used.

“There are genuine choices to meet rising electricity demand. It is not just having to build LNG,” he said.

Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receive support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The last time Minneapolis musician Mike Kota played on the same stage as Hozier was in 2023, when she opened for the Irish singer-songwriter at a pop-up concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis. She played for a crowd of about 1,500 people.

Now, two years later, Kota is playing on the same day as Hozier at the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival, which is expected to draw 30,000 people each day over three days this weekend.

“I appreciate that they put us on the same day again,” Kota said. “It’s such an honor. But I just kind of view myself as a little peasant here, and those are the kings.”

The Yacht Club Festival at St. Paul’s Harriet Island Regional Park launched last summer, drawing about 70,000 concertgoers over two days. This year, the event has expanded to three days, Friday through Sunday.

Minnesota artists Kota, Maygen & the Birdwatcher, Motion City Soundtrack, Cory Wong, Rafaella, Laamar and Landon Conrath will be performing in a lineup alongside Hozier, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, Sublime and Weezer.

For local musicians, the Yacht Club Festival is more than a fun outdoor gig. It’s a chance to promote new music, gain a wider audience and represent the Minnesota music scene, they say.

“I think for a lot of us, for myself, it’s like I need to showcase what the Twin Cities arts community developed in me,” Minneapolis musician Wong said. “And how we can play alongside all the cats from all the major music towns.”

Maygen & the Birdwatcher

Minnesota folk-country band Maygen & the Birdwatcher kicks off the festival at 12:50 p.m. Friday with a set from their seven-piece band.

Lead singer-songwriters Maygen Lacey and Noah Neumann said they’re squeezing seven songs into their 30-minute show.

The group has played festivals before, including the Blue Ox Music Festival in Eau Claire, Wis., where they shared a stage with Sierra Ferrell and Old Crow Medicine Show. But Yacht Club is the largest festival they’ve played to date.

“We actually have to pinch ourselves, that we get to, you know, be at a festival playing with all these amazing bands,” Lacey said. “Especially in our hometown.”

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Lacey and Neumann said they play on the same day as Sheryl Crow.

“I’ve been listening to her since I was like, 4,” Neumann said.

Maygen & the Birdwatcher blends its country, bluegrass and soul influences in its new album, “The Americana Dream,” which will be released Oct. 10. The band already released two singles, and is closing its act Friday with an unreleased single from the album.

“It’s giant because it’s going to hopefully just increase our exposure here,” Lacey said. “Who knows, maybe Sheryl Crow will ask us to come open for her or something. You never know what could happen when you play a festival.”

Mike Kota

Singer-songwriter Mike Kota plays at 1:20 p.m. Friday.

Kota has already experienced the ripple effect of performing alongside a big-name artist. She said opening for Hozier exposed her to local booking agents and led to her next gig, opening for Shakey Graves and Lucius in 2023 at Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis.

“More shows came from that show. So that was huge,” Kota said. “It was a good real-life affirmation of ‘I’m on the right path.’”

Kota gets inspiration for her genre-blurring indie music from alternative artists such as King Krule, whose music she described as an “acquired taste.” Her new EP, “Through Fire,” releases Friday, the same day as her Yacht Club Festival performance.

“It’s a huge audience to pitch the EP to,” Kota said. “My goal performing live is to kind of lose myself in the song and do the music justice.”

Motion City Soundtrack

Minneapolis rock band Motion City Soundtrack plays at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The band first formed in 1997, releasing six albums before going on hiatus in 2016.

After gradually returning to touring after the pandemic, the band will release “The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World,” its first album in almost a decade, on Sept. 19.

“This one, I think, is special,” lead guitarist Joshua Cain said. “It feels like an important record for us.”

Cain said the Yacht Club Festival is the band’s last big show before the album releases. The group will play its newest single, “She Is Afraid,” on Saturday.

“It’s just fun to play a Minnesota crowd, you know,” Cain said. “We haven’t done a Minnesota show in a little bit.”

Cain said playing music festivals allows Minnesota artists to reach a wider audience, versus playing local venues that often attract a specific group of people. And although Motion City Soundtrack is a “unique, nerdy band,” Cain said the members are inspired by Fall Out Boy, Weezer and Green Day.

“We like the music at this festival a lot as a band,” he said. “It’s just amazing to get to play shows with these guys.”

Cory Wong

Cory Wong plays at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. He just returned to the United States after playing July 12 at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Earlier this summer, he headlined a tour in Japan.

“It’s fun to come back home after playing all these other big festivals and other big shows,” Wong said. “I have a bunch of friends that are coming in town, a bunch of the other bands. I almost feel like I’m, in a little way, hosting.”

He said the Yacht Club Festival lineup might seem random to some people, but that he and his friends are the perfect target audience for it.

“We’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the best lineup ever,’” Wong said. “There’s such an amazing combination of really big, powerful acts, bands that have some sort of nostalgia to us, and also a lot of new and up-and-coming bands.”

Wong’s mostly-instrumental funk music takes inspiration from Prince and Tower of Power. His 10-piece band will play a set Saturday that alternates between “meticulously arranged music” and experimental improvisation.

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Wong also wanted to use his show to highlight other local artists. He’s having Lars Pruitt, vocalist for the Minneapolis indie rock band Yam Haus, join his set for a song.

“There is a real sense of camaraderie coming from the same sort of place,” Wong said. “A lot of us (Minnesota musicians) look out for each other and check in on each other.”

Lacey said she was personally excited to see Kota’s set.

“A lot of the local artists are familiar names, and they’re all sweethearts and deserve it, so I’m very excited,” Kota said.

As Lacey said, you never know what could happen when you play a festival.

The Gophers football team held its annual local media day on Wednesday and with 21 total players speaking to reporters, they nearly could have gone to the line of scrimmage and run a play.

But the U will have to wait until July 27 for the start of fall camp, and until Aug. 28 for the season opener at home against Buffalo. But hype, perspectives and little nuggets of information were shared earlier this week.

Here are eight standout quotes from the players’ question-and-answer sessions:

‘Delusional’ goal

It’s often hard to pry a big-picture perspective out of a P.J. Fleck-coached player, but third-year cornerback Za’Quan Bryan and linebacker Maverick Baranowski were willing to take the blinders off.

“A successful season is really just us getting to the CFP (the 12-team College Football Playoff),” Bryan said. “We are delusional this year, and that is the thing for us. … I don’t have any personal goals. My goal is this team getting to the CFP and get to that level that we want to be at.”

After an 8-5 overall record a year ago, including 5-4 in Big Ten play, the Gophers will need to fill multiple positions (including Bryan at corner), stay incredibly healthy and improve in one-possession games. But if those things happen, the schedule might set up for the U could have a run like Indiana had last season, surprise entrants in the expanded playoff field.

‘Night and day’

Drake Lindsey is the presumptive starting quarterback, stepping in for departed senior Max Brosmer, an undrafted free agent who will start training camp with the Vikings next week. The redshirt freshman got a taste of college ball last year, completing 4 of 5 pass attempts for 50 yards and a touchdown across three games.

Now a year older, with two sets of spring practices and a year of tutelage under Brosmer, Lindsey feels much more comfortable taking the wheel.

“I feel like it’s day and night,” he said. “I go back sometimes and watch last fall camp and spring ball and it’s just the little things, like managing the line of scrimmage, looking at the play clock nonstop, making sure everyone is on the ball, off the ball. … Things that Max had really taught me and the coaches have taught me. Just the details within every single play.”

Newcomer mistakes are bound to happen, and Fleck’s willingness to trust Lindsey on the next series will be paramount to the U’s success this fall.

‘Skip through college’

After a breakout true freshman season, safety Koi Perich has been receiving preseason All-America accolades and award watch-list shoutouts going into a sophomore season that will include an expanded role on offense on top of his already big roles on defense and as a returner on special teams.

But this was not his boyhood dream coming out of Esko, Minn.

“I didn’t watch college football,” Perich said. “My dream was to play for the Vikings. I would just skip through college if I could and go straight to the Vikings. But you’ve got to do your three years. I’m willing to do it.”

Camaraderie

The Gophers pride themselves on being a close-knit outfit and one example of that is how approximately 40 players came out to celebrate star defensive end Anthony Smith’s 21st birthday this summer.

“It was such a blast,” linebacker Maverick Baranowski said. “We all got dinner. That doesn’t happen everywhere, that connectedness.”

Big shoes to fill

Blindside tackle Aireontae Ersery extended the U’s streak of having a first- or second-round pick to six straight NFL drafts last April, and his exit left an enormous opening along the offensive line.

When Ersery opted out of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, true freshman Nathan Roy got 15 snaps against Virginia Tech. The four-star recruit and No. 1 prospect out of Wisconsin might get that amount of plays in the first quarter of the opening game this year.

“Super talented,” said veteran lineman Greg Johnson. “I mean, he is a freak athlete, can move really well. It’s fun to play next to him because of how good an athlete he is. He makes my job pretty easy at times because in our pass sets, I trust him to do his job well. In the run game, he has gotten a lot more physical, as well.”

Darius Taylor #1 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers rushes with the ball in the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on Nov. 29, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Requirements

Running back Darius Taylor missed half his freshman season with injuries, but he played in 12 of 13 games a year ago and amassed team highs of 1,336 yards from scrimmage (986 rushing and 350 receiving) and 12 total touchdowns.

While the U breaks in a new QB, offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh said during spring practices that Minnesota will lean more on Taylor in the run game.

“The demands on the field have to meet the demands off the field,” Taylor said. “That requires nutrition and in the training room. I did a great job of that last year, and now I’m trying to uphold that.”

HAVOC

The Gophers have to overcome the upheaval inherent in a third defensive coordinator in three years, with safeties coach Danny Collins promoted to run the entire unit after Corey Hetherman took a pay bump to join the Miami Hurricanes. Collin’s acronym for his defense is HAVOC, and the Gophers hope to wreak a lot of it on opponents.

A lot of the defensive principles will remain the same from Hetherman and Joe Rossi, including an emphasis on takeaways, on which Minnesota feasted last year. The U was tied for seventh in the nation in interceptions (17) and 36th in total takeaways (21) in 2024.

“(The next level) is continuing to develop the high football IQ as D.C. continues to talk about,” said defensive tackle Jalen Logan-Redding.

Catch radius

With the exits of Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer, the Gophers lost roughly 50 percent of its receptions, yards and touchdowns from wide receivers last season.

Minnesota returns Le’Meke Brockington, Cristian Driver, Kenric Lanier, Nuke Hayes, Jalen Smith and others, while adding three transfers in Javon Tracy (Miami of Ohio), Logan Loya (UCLA) and Malachi Coleman (Nebraska).

“This is the most-talented wide receiver room we have ever had, probably the most experienced, most versatile,” Brockington, a fifth-year senior, said.

It’s a crowded room, but Brockington, Tracy and Loya are the most-likely leaders in the bunch.

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