Pietari Inkinen

Pietari Inkinen (born 29 April 1980, Kouvola, Finland) is a Finnish violinist and conductor.

Biography

Inkinen began violin and piano studies at age 4.^[1] As a youth, he also performed in a rock band.^[2] He attended the Sibelius Academy and graduated with diplomas in violin (2003) and conducting (2005). He studied violin at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with Zakhar Bron. Inkinen has performed on a Carlo Bergonzi 1732 violin. He leads a chamber trio, the Inkinen Trio.

In May 2007, Inkinen was named the second music director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.^[3] He formally assumed the post in January 2008. In October 2013, the NZSO announced the extension of Inkinen's contract through the 2015 season.^[4] Inkinen concluded his NZSO tenure at the end of 2015,^[5] and now has the title of Honorary Conductor of the NZSO. He and the NZSO have recorded music of Einojuhani Rautavaara^[2] and of Jean Sibelius^[6][7][8] for the Naxos label, and of Richard Wagner for EMI Classics.^[9] In Australia, his work in opera has included his conducting of Opera Australia's Melbourne Ring Cycle in 2013, following the resignation of Richard Mills.^[10]

In September 2009, Inkinen became principal guest conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO). In April 2015, the JPO appointed Inkinen as its next chief conductor, effective September 2016, with an initial contract of 3 seasons.^[11] The most recent extension of his JPO contract, announced in May 2021, is through August 2023.^[12] He is scheduled to stand down as chief conductor of the JPO in August 2023.^[13]

In Europe, Inkinen was named the new chief conductor of the Ludwigsburg Schlossfestspiele in March 2014, for the period from 2015 through 2017.^[14] In October 2014, the Prague Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Inkinen as its next chief conductor, as of September 2015.^[15] He had first conducted the Prague Symphony Orchestra in 2007.^[16] His first guest-conducting appearance with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern was in 2010. In September 2016, the orchestra named Inkinen its next chief conductor, effective with the 2017–2018 season, with an initial contract of 4 years.^[17]

In May 2021, the KBS Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Inkinen as its next chief conductor and music director, effective January 2022, with an initial contract through the end of 2024.^[18]

References

1. Donna McIntyre (2 June 2010). "My job: Leading music to great heights". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
2. William Dart (19 July 2007). "New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the Auckland Town Hall, Fri 6.30pm & Sat 8pm". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
3. William Dart (21 May 2007). "New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at Auckland Town Hall". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
4. "NZSO Music Director Pietari Inkinen To Continue" (Press release). New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
5. "NZSO announces new role for Music Director" (Press release). New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
6. William Dart (13 March 2008). "Finnish flourish in prophetic recording". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
7. Andrew Clements (14 October 2010). "Sibelius: Symphonies Nos 1 and 3 – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
8. Andrew Clements (6 January 2011). "Sibelius: Symphonies Nos 4 and 5 – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
9. William Dart (28 February 2010). "Simon O'Neill – Father and Son". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
10. Peter McCallum (3 July 2013). "Risks and rumour as rising star steps in to conduct the Ring". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
11. (Press release). IMG Artists. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
12. "Pietari Inkinen Extends Tenure as Chief Conductor of Japan Philharmonic Orchestra through August 2023" (Press release). Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
13. "Kahchun Wong Appointed Chief Conductor of Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Begins in 2023" (Press release). Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
14. Gabriele Szczegulski (18 March 2014). "Chefdirigent Pietari Inkinen: "Mit mir ist alles möglich"". Bietigheimer Zeitung. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
15. "Pietari Inkinen – nový šéfdirigent Symfonického orchestru hl. m. Prahy FOK" (PDF) (Press release). Prague Symphony Orchestra. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
16. Markéta Kaňková and Helena Petáková (4 November 2014). "Novým šéfdirigentem Symfonického orchestru FOK bude Pietari Inkinen". Czech Radio Vltava. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
17. "Der Finne Pietari Inkinen wird neuer Chefdirigent der Deutschen Radio Philharmonie ab der Saison 2017/18" (Press release). SWR. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
18. Im Eun-byel (12 May 2021). "Finnish conductor takes helm of KBS Symphony Orchestra". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 13 May 2021.

External links

• Official website of Pietari Inkinen
• KünstlerSekretariat am Gasteig agency German-language biography of Pietari Inkinen
• NZSO biography page on Inkinen

Cultural offices
Preceded by James Judd	Music Director, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra 2008–2015	Succeeded by Edo de Waart
Preceded by Muhai Tang	Chief Conductor, Prague Symphony Orchestra 2015–2020	Succeeded by Tomáš Brauner
Preceded by Alexander Lazarev	Chief Conductor, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra 2016–2023	Succeeded by Wong Kah Chun
Preceded by Karel Mark Chichon	Chief Conductor, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern 2017–present	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Yoel Levi	Chief Conductor and Music Director, KBS Symphony Orchestra 2022–present	Succeeded by incumbent