0
Susanna Mälkki
Susanna Mälkki
Finnish conductor and cellist
1
Leif Segerstam
Leif Segerstam
Finnish conductor and composer
2
Robert Kajanus
Robert Kajanus
Finnish conductor and composer
3
Okko Kamu
Okko Kamu
Finnish conductor and violinist
4
Leevi Madetoja
Leevi Madetoja
Finnish composer
5
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
6
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
7
Sakari Oramo
Sakari Oramo
Finnish conductor
8
Paavo Berglund
Paavo Berglund
Finnish conductor and violinist
9
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Finnish composer of the late Romantic period
10
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Finnish conductor
11
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
Finnish conductor and percussionist
12
Hannu Lintu
Hannu Lintu
Finnish conductor
13
BBC Philharmonic
BBC Philharmonic
BBC symphony orchestra based in Manchester
14
Alina Pogostkina
Alina Pogostkina
German musician
15
Thomas Dausgaard
Thomas Dausgaard
Danish conductor
16
Oslo Philharmonic
Oslo Philharmonic
Norwegian orchestra
17
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Finnish conductor and composer
18
Paavo Järvi
Paavo Järvi
Estonian conductor
19
Pekka Kuusisto
Pekka Kuusisto
Finnish musician
20
Han-na Chang
Han-na Chang
South Korean musician
21
Mikko Franck
Mikko Franck
Finnish conductor
22
Truls Mørk
Truls Mørk
Norwegian cellist.
23
Jorma Panula
Jorma Panula
Finnish conductor and composer
24
JoAnn Falletta
JoAnn Falletta
American conductor
25
Leonidas Kavakos
Leonidas Kavakos
Greek violinist
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
symphony orchestra based in Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

Intro
symphony orchestra based in Helsinki, Finland
The orchestra in 1965, with conductor Jorma Panula.

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (Finnish: Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri, Swedish: Helsingfors stadsorkester) is a Finnish orchestra based in Helsinki. Its primary concert venue is the Helsinki Music Centre.

In 1882, with the backing of two wealthy businessmen, Robert Kajanus founded the orchestra as the Helsinki Orchestral Society and served as its chief conductor for 50 years. It was the first permanent orchestra in the Nordic countries. In 1914, it merged with its rival ensemble, the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra, and acquired its present name. Until 1962, it also served as the orchestra for the Finnish National Opera.

Leif Segerstam was chief conductor of the orchestra from 1995 to 2007, and is now its chief conductor emeritus. John Storgårds became principal guest conductor of the orchestra in 2003, and took up the chief conductorship of the orchestra in the autumn of 2008, with an initial contract of 4 years. Following an initial renewal of his contract through 2014., in October 2013, the orchestra announced a further extension of Storgårds' contract through December 2015, at which time he stood down as chief conductor. In September 2014, the orchestra announced the appointment of Susanna Mälkki as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2016–2017 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. She is the first female conductor to be named to the post in the orchestra's history. In October 2017, the orchestra announced the extension of Mälkki's contract as chief conductor through 2021. In June 2019, the orchestra announced a further extension of her contract as chief conductor through 2023, with an option for a further 2-year extension past 2023.

The orchestra has recorded commercially for such labels as Ondine and Finlandia, as well as a smaller number for the EMI, Warner and Deutsche Grammophon labels. In November 2011, the orchestra was the first ensemble to perform reported sketches for the Symphony No 8 of Jean Sibelius.