Esa-Pekka Salonen

Esa-Pekka Salonen (born June 30th, 1958, in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish conductor and composer. He was Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the [a=Philharmonia Orchestra] in London (2008-2017), Conductor Laureate of the [a=Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra] and Composer-In-Residence at the New York Philharmonic. He was the Musical Director of the from 2020, and in early 2024 announced that he will resign after the 2024-25 season.

He studied horn and composition at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and conducting with [a=Jorma Panula]. One of his classmates was the composer [a=Magnus Lindberg] with whom Salonen formed the groups [i]Korvat auki[/i] and [i]Toimii[/i]. Later on Salonen studied with the composers [a=Franco Donatoni], [a=Niccolò Castiglioni] and [a=Einojuhani Rautavaara].

His first conducting experience was in 1979 with the [a=Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra]. In 1983, he replaced an indisposed [a=Michael Tilson Thomas] to conduct a performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with the Philharmonia Orchestra at very short notice, and it launched his career as a conductor. He was the Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia from 1985 to 1994.

Salonen was Chief Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1985-1995. He made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1984, becoming the orchestra's tenth Music Director.

He is married to violinist [a=Jane Price] and they have three children. They reside in Los Angeles, California.