Wikipedia

Klaus Mäkelä

Klaus Mäkelä (Finnish: [ˈklɑu̯s ˈmækelæ]; born 17 January 1996) is a Finnish conductor and cellist.[1] He is the chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, and music director of the Orchestre de Paris. Mäkelä is also artistic partner and chief conductor-designate of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and music director-designate of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Klaus Mäkelä
Mäkelä with Orchestre de Paris (2022)
Born (1996-01-17) 17 January 1996 (age 28)
Helsinki, Finland
EducationSibelius Academy
Occupations
  • conductor
  • cellist
Organizations
Parents
  • Sami Mäkelä (father)
  • Taru Myöhänen-Mäkelä (mother)
Family
  • Tapio Myöhänen (grandfather)
  • Ellen Mäkelä (younger sister)
Websiteklausmakela.com

Biography

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Mäkelä was born in Helsinki into a family of musicians; his father is the cellist[2] Sami Mäkelä, and his mother is the pianist Taru Myöhänen-Mäkelä.[3] His grandfather, Tapio Myöhänen, is a violinist and violist. His younger sister Ellen Mäkelä is a dancer with the Ballets de Catalunya.

Mäkelä studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy with Jorma Panula and cello with Marko Ylönen, Timo Hanhinen and Hannu Kiiski. He became interested in conducting at age 12, when he sang in the choir of the Finnish National Opera.[3] He has been a soloist with Finnish orchestras such as the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra and the Jyväskylä Sinfonia. He has performed at Finnish music festivals such as the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and the Naantali Music Festival.

In September 2017, Mäkelä first guest-conducted the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. On the basis of this appearance, in December 2017, the orchestra announced the appointment of Mäkelä as its next principal guest conductor, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with a contract of three years. Mäkelä was the youngest-ever appointment to a titled conductor post with the orchestra.[4]

Mäkelä was the artistic director of the Turku Music Festival from 2018 to 2024. In May 2018, Mäkelä first guest-conducted the Oslo Philharmonic.[5] On the basis of this appearance, in October 2018, the orchestra announced the appointment of Mäkelä as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2020–2021 season, with an initial contract of 3 seasons.[6] This appointment marks the first chief conductorship for Mäkelä. In May 2020, the orchestra announced an extension of Mäkelä's initial contract with the Oslo Philharmonic for an additional four seasons, unusual in its timing before the official start of his tenure with the orchestra.[7] He is scheduled to conclude his Oslo Philharmonic tenure at the close of the 2026–2027 season.[8][9][10]

In June 2019, Mäkelä first guest-conducted the Orchestre de Paris. In June 2020, the Orchestre de Paris announced the appointment of Mäkelä as its next music director, effective with the 2022–2023 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. The original intention had been for Mäkelä to hold the post of musical advisor for the two prior seasons, from 2020 to 2022.[11] However, Mäkelä assumed the role of music director in September 2021, one year earlier than originally planned.[12] He is scheduled to stand down from the Orchestre de Paris at the close of the 2026–2027 season.[8]

In September 2020, Mäkelä first guest-conducted the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Following several additional guest-conducting appearances, in June 2022, the RCO announced the appointment of Mäkelä as an artistic partner for the period of 2022–2027, and subsequently as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years.[13][14]

In 2022, Mäkelä first guest-conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), and returned for a guest-conducting appearance in February 2023. In April 2024, the CSO announced the appointment of Mäkelä as its next music director, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years.[15][8]

Mäkelä has an exclusive recording contract with Decca, only the third conductor in Decca's history with an exclusive recording contract.[16] His first recording for Decca was a set of the complete Sibelius symphonies with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.[17] He has subsequently conducted two recordings with the Orchestre de Paris, with music of Stravinsky[18][19] and of Debussy.[20] In June 2024, Mäkelä was named "Conductor of the Year" at the 2024 OPUS Klassik Awards for his 2023 recording with the Orchestre de Paris of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and The Firebird .[21]

Discography

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  • Sibelius: Complete Symphonies (Symphonies 1–7); Tapiola; '3 Late Fragments' (with the Oslo Philharmonic) (2022, Decca Classics)[22]
  • Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring, The Firebird (with the Orchestre de Paris) (2023, Decca Classics)[18]
  • Stravinsky: Petrushka; Debussy: Jeux, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (with the Orchestre de Paris) (2024, Decca Classics)[20]
  • Sibelius, Prokofiev: Violin Concertos, with Janine Jansen and the Oslo Philharmonic (2024, Decca Classics)[23]
  • Shostakovich: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6 (with the Oslo Philharmonic) (2024, Decca Classics)[24]

References

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  1. ^ Huida, Jarmo (7 August 2017). "Päävierailijakapellimestariksi 21-vuotiaana". Satukunnan Kansa. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Kotiasiat eivät seuraa lavalle". Savon Sanomat (in Finnish). 12 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b Korhonen, Laura; Henriksson, Katri; Saulo, Sandra (11 December 2017). "Päävierailijakapellimestariksi 21-vuotiaana". YLE (Finnish Radio). Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra appoints sought-after conductor" (Press release). Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  5. ^ Bjørhovde, Hilde (3 October 2018). "Klaus Mäkelä (22) blir ny sjefdirigent i Oslo-Filharmonien". Aftenposten. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Klaus Mäkelä ny sjefdirigent fra 2020/21-sesongen" (Press release). Oslo Philharmonic. 3 October 2018. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Klaus Mäkelä extends contract with Oslo Philharmonic" (Press release). Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. 15 May 2020. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Javier C. Hernández (2 April 2024). "Klaus Mäkelä, 28-Year-Old Finnish Conductor, to Lead Chicago Symphony". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  9. ^ Hilde Bjørhovde (2 April 2024). "Stjernedirigent Klaus Mäkelä forlater Oslo-Filharmonien". Aftenposten. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  10. ^ Guro Kleveland (2 April 2024). "Oslo-Filharmoniens sjefdirigent Klaus Mäkelä slutter". Ballade. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Klaus Mäkelä, prochain Directeur musical de l'Orchestre de Paris" (Press release). Orchestre de Paris. 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  12. ^ "New Seasons in Oslo and Paris" (Press release). HarrisonParrott. 15 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Klaus Mäkelä – de achtste chef" (Press release). Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. 10 June 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Klaus Mäkelä and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to start ten-year collaboration" (Press release). HarrisonParrott. 10 June 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Klaus Mäkelä named next music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). Chicago Symphony Orchestra. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  16. ^ Joshua Barone (2 December 2022). "At 26, the Conductor Klaus Mäkelä's Star Keeps Rising and Rising". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  17. ^ David Allen (31 March 2022). "5 Classical Music Albums You Can Listen to Right Now". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  18. ^ a b David Allen (27 April 2023). "5 Classical Music Albums You Can Listen to Right Now". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  19. ^ Zachary Woolfe (5 April 2024). "The Era of Klaus Mäkelä, Conducting Phenom, Begins in Chicago". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  20. ^ a b Andrew Clements (21 March 2024). "Stravinsky: Petrushka; Debussy: Jeux; Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un Faune album review – flat and muted". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  21. ^ "preistraeger_innen-2024 – Opus Klassik". Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  22. ^ Andrew Clements (24 March 2022). "Sibelius: The Symphonies and Tapiola review – Mäkelä veers between the outstanding and prosaic". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  23. ^ Zachary Woolfe (27 June 2024). "5 Classical Music Albums You Can Listen to Right Now". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  24. ^ Andrew Clements (8 August 2024). "Shostakovich: Symphonies 4, 5 and 6 album review – Klaus Mäkelä takes on history". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
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