Esa-Pekka Salonen appointed as Berlin Philharmonic composer in residence

The Berlin Philharmonic has announced the appointment of Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen to the role of composer in residence for the 2022/23 season.

The orchestra’s first concert of the residency will take place on 22 December, which will see the orchestra, conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, play Salonen’s Helix alongside pianist Víkingur Ólafsson.

In an announcement published on the orchestra website, Salonen talked about his intentions for his time in the role: ‘I want music – and especially my music – to be part of society. What I can’t stand are people who take themselves too seriously. There always has to be room for irony and laughter, otherwise life would be unbearable.’

Salonen’s composer in residence work will be combined with his duties as music director of the San Francisco Symphony and conductor laureate of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, where he was principal conductor and artistic advisor from 2008 to 2021. He is also undertaking a two-season conducting and composing residency with the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and leading the Negaunee Conducting Program at LA's Colburn School.

Salonen’s previous roles also include music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He also co-founded the Baltic Sea Festival in 2020. He was the first conductor to receive the Accademia Chigiana’s Siena Prize. His other accolades include Sweden’s Litteris et Artibus medal, France’s Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, the Helsinki Medal, and was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by The Queen in 2020.

You can find out more about the Berlin Philharmonic here.