Two Gustavus Adolphus Alumni Honored by Minnesota ACDA

Gustavus alumni Thomas Hassig ’76 and Brian Ohnsorg ’97 will
both be honored by the American Choral Directors Association of
Minnesota in November.

Hassig has been selected as Minnesota Choral Director of the
Year, while Ohnsorg was named Outstanding Young Choral Director of
the Year. Hassig and Ohnsort will receive their awards on Nov. 20
during the ACDA-MN Fall Conference in St. Cloud.

Hassig is now in his 23rd year at Prior Lake High School, where
he is music department chairperson and director of the Varsity
Men’s Choir, Women’s Chorale, Choralaires, Concert Choir, and small
select ensembles.

Groups under Hassig’s direction have performed in concert and
church venues ranging from Seattle to Stockholm and Minneapolis to
Moscow. He has led groups on seven concert trips to Europe,
including a March 2009 tour with performances in several locales in
Greece.

Hassig was named the 2004 Minnesota Music Educators Association
Music Educator of the Year, a 2006 state finalist for Minnesota
Teacher of the Year, and in 2010 received the Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Prior Lake Patrons of the Arts and Activities. He is
a recipeient of the ISD 719 Secondary Teacher of Excellence Award,
and has also been recognized as Outstanding Advisor of the
Year.

After earning his B.A. at Gustavus, Hassig went on to earn an
M.A. in Music Education from the University of Minnesota. At
Gustavus, Hassig was in the Gustavus Choir for four years, serving
as tenor section leader and student director under the direction of
Philip Knautz.

“Gustavus was absolutely the right place for my undergraduate
studies. It was the best fit for me,” Hassig said. “No other place
would have had the particular combination of elements that prepared
me for any success I’ve had since graduating with the class of
1976.”

Brian Ohnsorg ’97

Ohnsorg is currently the Conductor of Choirs at Jordan High
School and the 8th Grade Choir at Jordan Middle School. Ohnsorg has
taught in Jordan since 2005 and was named the high school’s
2009-2010 Teacher of the Year.

Ohnsorg has served on the board of the Minnesota American Choral
Directors Association. In 2010, he was co-chair for the North
Central ACDA Men’s Honor Choir and in 2009 he was Tenor Section
Coach for the All-State Men’s Choir.