GENERAL MANAGEMENT
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Honorary Conductor Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Honorary Conductor Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Jukka-Pekka Saraste has established himself as one of the most outstanding conductors of his generation, renowned for his remarkable musical depth, integrity, and objective approach. Born in Heinola, Finland, Saraste began his musical career as a violinist before studying conducting with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Over the years, he has developed a special affinity with the sound and style of late Romantic music, maintaining a particularly strong connection to the works of Beethoven, Bruckner, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Mahler and Sibelius.
In September 2023, Jukka-Pekka Saraste commenced his tenure as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. His artistic vision includes exploring the symphonic heritage of Sibelius, Mahler, and Bruckner, while also highlighting contemporary composers and music of our time.
With the SIBELIUS & SARASTE project, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra are capturing all of the composer's symphonies…
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Honorary Conductor Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Honorary Conductor Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Jukka-Pekka Saraste has established himself as one of the most outstanding conductors of his generation, renowned for his remarkable musical depth, integrity, and objective approach. Born in Heinola, Finland, Saraste began his musical career as a violinist before studying conducting with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Over the years, he has developed a special affinity with the sound and style of late Romantic music, maintaining a particularly strong connection to the works of Beethoven, Bruckner, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Mahler and Sibelius.
In September 2023, Jukka-Pekka Saraste commenced his tenure as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. His artistic vision includes exploring the symphonic heritage of Sibelius, Mahler, and Bruckner, while also highlighting contemporary composers and music of our time.
With the SIBELIUS & SARASTE project, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra are capturing all of the composer's symphonies audiovisually to mark the 160th birthday of Jean Sibelius and presenting them to an international audience worldwide on STAGE+ and Arte Concert.
From 2010 to 2019, he served as Chief Conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra in Cologne. Earlier, he was Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, and he also held principal conductorships with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, alongside roles as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Advisor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.
Jukka-Pekka Saraste has led major orchestras across the globe, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and New York Philharmonic.
In recent years, he has developed a strong operatic profile, with successful productions of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex, Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, Korngold’s Die tote Stadt, and Reimann's Lear, among others. In early 2025, he conducted a new production of Strauss's Salome at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
An extensive discography reflects his artistic range. His recordings include the complete symphonies of Sibelius and Nielsen with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, works by Bartók, Dutilleux, Mussorgsky, and Prokofiev with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and acclaimed recordings with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, including Brahms’ complete symphonies, Mahler’s 5th and 9th Symphonies, and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8. His Beethoven symphonic cycle with WDR is considered a legacy of his tenure in Cologne.
Jukka-Pekka Saraste is a founding member of the LEAD! Foundation, created in 2017 to support the emerging careers of young conductors, composers, and aspiring orchestra leaders. In 2020, Saraste founded the Fiskars Summer Festival, an international platform where Finnish and international artists share their knowledge with the next generation.
In recognition of his significant contributions to music, he has received the Pro Finlandia Medal, the Sibelius Medal, the Finnish State Prize for Music, and the insignia of Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland. He holds honorary doctorates from York University in Toronto and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
Saraste was a forceful driver of musical events in both works: tempos were brisk and momentum was forward-leaning. … In Saraste’s hands, Schubert dipped a toe into Beethovenian drama — the slow and solemn introduction of the first movement — only to shy quickly away for sunnier escapades. … After the interval, Saraste got straight to business with the Beethoven. He … drove the inextinguishable motive (“short, short, short, long”) with merciless intensity, awesome orchestral control, and particularly well-differentiated dynamics. This was clear-cut Beethoven, with a relentless sense of direction. … A loud roar erupted from the capacity crowd after the final chord — but that was only the beginning. Three curtain calls were required of Saraste to fully receive their approval.
