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Esa-Pekka Salonen

KBE
Esa-Pekka-Salonen-1997c (cropped).jpg
Salonen in 1997 rehearsing the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Born (1958-06-30) 30 June 1958 (age 66)
Helsinki, Finland
Occupation
  • Conductor
  • composer
Years active 1979–present
Organization
Spouse(s)
Jane Price
​
​
(m. 1991; div. 2017)​
Kaarina Gould
​
(m. 2021)​
Children 3
Signature
E-P-Salonen-Sign.jpg

Esa-Pekka Salonen (born 30 June 1958) is a famous Finnish conductor and composer. A conductor leads an orchestra, telling the musicians how to play. A composer writes music. He is currently the music director of the San Francisco Symphony. He is also a special conductor (called "conductor laureate") for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 2024, he announced he would leave the San Francisco Symphony in 2025.

Life and career

Early musical journey

Esa-Pekka Salonen was born in Helsinki, Finland. He finished high school in 1977. Then, he went to the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. There, he studied how to play the horn and how to compose music. He also learned to conduct from a teacher named Jorma Panula. Some of his classmates who also became famous conductors were Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Osmo Vänskä.

Salonen and his composer friend Magnus Lindberg started a group called Korvat auki. This means "Ears open" in Finnish. They also created an experimental music group called Toimii, which means "It works." Later, Salonen studied with other famous composers like Einojuhani Rautavaara.

His first time conducting an orchestra was in 1979. He led the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. At first, he mostly thought of himself as a composer. He even said he started conducting so someone would play his own music! But in 1983, his conducting career really took off. He had to step in at the last minute to conduct Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. He hadn't even studied the music before! After that, he became a main guest conductor for the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1985 to 1994.

Salonen was also the main conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1984 to 1995. In 2003, he helped start the Baltic Sea Festival. This festival plays new classical music. It also helps bring countries around the Baltic Sea together. It raises awareness about protecting the Baltic Sea environment. The festival still happens every year.

Leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Salonen first conducted in the United States with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1984. He felt a special connection with the orchestra right away. He said it felt like his "future home."

In 1989, he was asked to be the Principal Guest Conductor. This led to some changes with the orchestra's music director at the time. Four months later, Salonen was named the orchestra's tenth music director. He officially started in 1992 and stayed until 2009.

Under Salonen's leadership, the Los Angeles Philharmonic became a very modern and respected orchestra. They went on many tours to the United States, Europe, and Asia. They also performed at famous music festivals. During a festival in Paris in 1996, important people from the orchestra's board heard them play. This inspired them to raise money to finish building the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This hall is now a famous concert venue.

A music critic named Alex Ross said that Salonen's time in Los Angeles was a "turning point" for classical music in America. He said Salonen and the orchestra helped each other become even better.

In 2007, Salonen announced he would finish his time as music director in 2009. Gustavo Dudamel took his place.

Before his last concert in 2009, the orchestra gave him a special title: their first Conductor Laureate. This means he is honored for his past work. They also created a special fund in his name. This fund helps pay for new classical music to be written and performed.

During his time as music director, the orchestra played 120 new pieces for the first time. They also asked composers to write over 54 new works. Salonen was the music director longer than anyone else in the orchestra's history. He led 973 concerts and 23 tours.

Philharmonia and other work

In 2006, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London named Salonen their Principal Conductor. He started this role in 2008. He has made many recordings with the Philharmonia. He stayed with them until the 2020–2021 season.

In 2012, his violin concerto won the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. This is a very important award for music. In 2014, he won the Nemmers Prize in Music Composition. This award included a cash prize and a chance to work at Northwestern University. He also got to have the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform his music.

In 2015, Salonen became a special composer for the New York Philharmonic. He also helps a project called The Sync Project. This project studies how music affects brain health. In 2016, he became the first "artist in association" with the Finnish National Opera and Ballet.

Salonen first conducted the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) in 2004. He came back to conduct them again in 2012 and 2015. In 2018, the SFS announced that Salonen would be their next music director. He started in 2020.

In March 2024, Salonen said he would leave the San Francisco Symphony in 2025. He explained that he and the orchestra's board had "different goals" for the future.

Digital music projects

Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra have worked on cool digital projects. One was called RE-RITE. It lets people conduct, play, and step inside the Philharmonia Orchestra. They use audio and video of musicians playing The Rite of Spring. This project has traveled to many countries.

They also created Universe of Sound, based on Gustav Holst's The Planets. This project won an award in 2012. Salonen and the Philharmonia also released a popular iPad app called "The Orchestra". It's an interactive tour through music history.

Esa-Pekka and Philharmonia in Apple Store in Berlin
Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra perform Lutosławski, Sibelius and Salonen at the Apple Store, Berlin

Working with Apple

In 2014, Salonen was part of an international ad campaign for Apple. He helped promote the iPad Air. The campaign included the ad and talks with Salonen about classical music and composing. Apple also offered a free recording of his violin concerto. They also shared his favorite classical music and iPad apps.

People noticed this ad because it was unusual to see a modern classical composer in a mainstream ad. It showed classical music in a positive way. Salonen even led a concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra in an Apple store in Berlin. It was the first time a full orchestra played in an Apple store! He talked about mixing music and technology.

Personal life

Esa-Pekka Salonen married Kaarina Gould in 2021. He was previously married to Jane Price. They have three children: Ella Aneira, Anja Sofia, and Oliver.

Salonen once thought about buying the old house of the famous composer Igor Stravinsky. But he decided not to. He felt it would be too hard to compose in the same house where Stravinsky wrote so many masterpieces.

Honors and awards

Salonen has received many honors. In 2010, he became an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Southern California.

In 2012, he carried the Olympic flame as part of the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay. In 2020, he was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This was for his contributions to music and good relations between the UK and Finland. In 2024, he won the Polar Music Prize. This is a very important music award.

Career highlights

  • 1981 – Finished his first big work, ...auf den ersten Blick und ohne zu wissen...
  • 1983 – Helped start the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra in Finland.
  • 1985 – Became chief conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
  • 1992 – Won the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers award.
  • 1992 – Became Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
  • 1993 – Was the first conductor to win the Siena Prize from the Accademia Chigiana.
  • 1995 – Became Artistic Director of the Helsinki Festival.
  • 1997 – Conducted Ligeti's opera, Le Grand Macabre, at the Salzburg Festival.
  • 1997 – His piece LA Variations was played for the first time in Los Angeles.
  • 2000 – Took a year off from conducting to focus on composing.
  • 2003 – Led the opening concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
  • 2006 – Named "Musician of the Year" by Musical America.
  • 2007 – His Piano Concerto was played for the first time.
  • 2008 – Started as Principal Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra.
  • 2009 – His violin concerto was played for the first time.
  • 2011 – Won the Grawemeyer Award (Music Composition) for his Violin Concerto.
  • 2014 – Won the Nemmers Prize in Music Composition.
  • 2014 – Named Creative Chair at the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
  • 2015 – Became Composer-in-Residence at the New York Philharmonic.
  • 2017 – His cello concerto was played for the first time.
  • 2020 – Started as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony.
  • 2024 – Won the Polar Music Prize.

Composing music

Salonen's compositions include his Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (1980) and L.A. Variations (1996).

Salonen has said that living in California helped him feel more "free" when composing. A music critic, Mark Swed, explained that Salonen used to avoid things like melody in his music. But in Los Angeles, he realized he could have his own ideas. He said his focus moved from strict rules to finding "pleasure" in composing.

His piece "LA Variations" was a big success. It was played over 80 times around the world.

To spend more time composing, Salonen took a year off from conducting in 2000. During this time, he wrote several pieces. These included Mania for cello and Dichotomie for piano. He also wrote Gambit, an orchestral piece for his friend Magnus Lindberg's birthday.

In 2001, Salonen composed Foreign Bodies, his largest work. Another orchestral piece, Insomnia, followed in 2002. Then came Wing on Wing in 2004. This piece includes parts for two singers and sounds of architect Frank Gehry's voice.

Salonen believes that music comes from the body, not just the mind. A common idea in his music is how mechanical and natural things can mix.

Compositions

Here are some of the musical pieces Salonen has composed:

For Orchestra

  • Giro (1982)
  • L.A. Variations (1996)
  • Foreign Bodies (2001)
  • Insomnia (2002)
  • Stockholm Diary (2004)
  • Helix (2005)
  • Nyx (2010)
  • Gemini (2018/2019)

Concertos (for solo instrument and orchestra)

  • Saxophone Concerto (1980)
  • Mimo II for oboe and orchestra (1992)
  • Mania for cello and orchestra (2002)
  • Piano Concerto (2007)
  • Violin Concerto (2009)
  • Cello Concerto (2017)
  • Sinfonia concertante for organ and orchestra (2022)

For Chorus or Voice

  • Floof (Songs of a Homeostatic Homer) (1988) for soprano and small group of instruments
  • Five Images after Sappho (1999) for soprano and small group of instruments
  • Wing on Wing for two sopranos and orchestra (2004)
  • Dona Nobis Pacem (2011) for choir
  • Karawane (2014) for orchestra and chorus

For Chamber Groups or Solo Instruments

  • Nachtlieder for clarinet and piano (1978)
  • Meeting for clarinet and harpsichord (1982)
  • Yta I for alto flute (1982)
  • Yta II for piano/harpsichord (1985)
  • Yta III for cello (1986)
  • Mania for cello and small group of instruments (2000)
  • Dichotomie for piano (2000)
  • Lachen verlernt for violin (2002)
  • Three Preludes, for piano (2005)

Selected world premiere performances

Salonen not only conducts his own music but also helps other composers. Many new pieces have been written for him. Here are some of the first performances he has conducted:

  • John Adams: Naïve and Sentimental Music (1999)
  • Pärt: Symphony No. 4, Los Angeles (2009)
  • Saariaho: Adriana Mater (2006)
  • Steven Stucky: Second Concerto for Orchestra (2004) – This piece won a Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Recordings

Salonen is known for performing and recording modern classical music. His 1985 recording of Witold Lutosławski's Symphony No. 3 won a Gramophone Award and a Grammy Award.

Some of his best-known recordings

  • Esa-Pekka Salonen: Concerto for Alto Saxophone; Floof; Meeting; Nachtleider; Mimo II; Yta I; Yta II; Yta IIb; Yta III
  • Bartók: Piano Concertos 1, 2, and 3 (Yefim Bronfman, piano) – This won a Grammy Award.
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen: Five Images After Sappho; Gambit; Giro; LA Variations; Mania
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen: Foreign Bodies; Insomnia; Wing on Wing
  • John Corigliano: Red Violin – Joshua Bell, solo violin
  • Arnold Schoenberg: Violin Concerto, Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto – Hilary Hahn, solo violin – This won a Grammy Award.
  • Henri Dutilleux: Correspondances; Tout un monde lointain; The shadows of time
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen: Out of Nowhere; Nyx and Violin Concerto; Leila Josefowicz

Recordings with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Recordings with other orchestras

See also

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