Salonen, Esa-Pekka

Finnish conductor and composer;b. Helsinki, June 30, 1958. Salonen entered the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki as a horn pupil of Holgar Fransman in 1973, taking his diploma in 1977. He then studied composition with EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA and conducting with Jorma Panula. He subsequently studied with Franco Donatoni in Siena, attended the Darmstadt summer course, and finally received instruction from Niccolò Castiglioni in Milan in 1980-81 .

After appearances as a horn soloist, Salonen took up conducting. He was a guest conductor throughout Scandinavia and later extended his activities to include Europe. In 1984 he made his U.S. debut as a guest conductor with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He became principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm in 1984, and led it on a tour of the U.S. in 1987. He also served as principal guest conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic from 1984 and the Philharmonia Orchestra in London from 1985. In 1989 he was appointed music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, beginning his highly successful tenure in 1992.

In his music, Salonen employs fairly modern techniques while preserving the formal centrality of traditional TONALITY. His orchestral works include Apokalyptische Phantasie (Apocalyptic fantasy) for brass band and tape (1978), Boutade for violin, cello, piano, and orchestra (1979), auf den ersten Blick und ohne zu wissen (at first glance and without knowing, a quotation from Franz Kafka's The Trial) for alto saxophone and orchestra (1980-81), Giro (1981), and Mimo II (1992). His chamber pieces include the Cello Sonata (1976-77), Wind Quintet (1982), and YTA 1 for flute (1982) and YTA 2 for piano (1985).