Esa-Pekka Salonen

In an extended interview, Tom Service talks to the renowned Finnish composer and conductor, Esa-Pekka Salonen, who is currently the Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Conductor Laureate for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he was Music Director from 1992 until 2009. He is also Artistic Director and co-founder of the annual Baltic Sea Festival, which invites celebrated artists to promote unity and ecological awareness among the countries around the Baltic Sea. This month he conducts his own music in the world premiere of a new work by Wayne McGregor as part of a ballet triple bill at the Royal Opera House. 

Tom talks to Esa-Pekka Salonen about the current situation of the symphony orchestra and how it might healthily evolve in the future. They also discuss the need for classical music to reach out to new, particularly younger, audiences through technological innovations and social media, such as the Philharmonia’s award-winning Orchestra app. Esa-Pekka Salonen describes the need for the orchestral repertoire to have new music, how there is a concomitant need to create contexts and references so as to enhance listeners’ appreciation of these new works, and also the challenges faced by young composers when writing for the traditional symphony orchestra.

More information:

Esa-Pekka Salonen

Obsidien Tear at the Royal Opera House

Philharmonia Orchestra

Esa-Pekka Salonen and The Philharmonia perform Stravinsky

Listen again to Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia on Radio 3 in Concert from 26.05.16

Listen again to Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia on Radio 3 in Concert from 15.05.16