“The Nordic dining scene may be stealing news headlines and Michelin stars these days but on Monday, the region’s classical music scene was also drawing international attention,” writes Brian Wise on Monday (9/1) at WQXR. “Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki on Monday was named chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Mälkki signed a three-year contract with the Finnish ensemble, from 2016 through 2019, becoming the first woman to hold the post in its 132-year history. The 45-year-old conductor has seen her international career take off in recent years, both in guest appearances and as music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, a job she held from 2006 to 2013. New York audiences will have a chance to see her conduct in May 2015, when she is scheduled to make her New York Philharmonic debut. Mälkki’s appointment had to be approved Monday by the Helsinki City Council before it was made official…. Fabio Luisi on Monday was named principal conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. The 55-year-old Italian succeeds Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, who died last June. Luisi is familiar to New York audiences as principal conductor at the Metropolitan Opera; he also serves as music director of the Zurich Opera. His three-year contract begins in 2017.”
Posted September 2, 2014
Pictured: Susanna Mälkki
