Susanna Mälkki

Finnish conductor and cellist Susanna Mälkki was born on 13 March 1969 in Helsinki. She studied cello with Hannu Kiiski and later, at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, conducting with Jorma Panula, Eri Klas and Leif Segerstam. She also studied in London at the Royal Academy of Music.

At the start of her career she won the Turku National Cello Competition and was principal cellist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra from 1995 until 1998, thereafter devoting her time to conducting.

She was artistic leader of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (2002-5), music director of the Ensemble InterContemporain (2006-13), principal guest conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon (2013-16), principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (2017-21) and chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (2016-23).

She is known as a specialist in contemporary music and has conducted the first Finnish performance of Powder Her Face by Thomas Adès and the first performance of the opera Quartett by  Luca Francesconi at La Scala in Milan. She also conducted Kaija Saariaho's opera L'Amour de loin at New York Metropolitan Opera.

She continues to perform as a conductor with major orchestras and opera houses in Europe, North America and Asia.

Further information: susannamalkki.com

 

A selection of articles about Susanna Mälkki

Classical music news. Susanna Mälkki - A high profile Finnish conductor is to become a professor of conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland

CD Spotlight. An Unexpected Kinship - Stephen Francis Vasta listens to Susanna Mälkki conducting Bartók. 'The Helsinki Philharmonic sounds good, with expressive reeds and resonant strings ...'

Ensemble. Lines of Blue Light - Kaija Saariaho's opera 'L'amour de loin', live in HD from New York Metropolitan Opera, impresses Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Exciting Teamwork - Roderic Dunnett was in Worcester for the 2011 Three Choirs Festival