Gothenburg Symphony appoints Santtu-Matias Rouvali as Chief Conductor

25/5/2016

Santtu-Matias Rouvali

Santtu-Matias Rouvali has been appointed Chief Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony, the National Orchestra of Sweden. Recently hailed by The Guardian as ​“the latest sit-up-and-listen talent to emerge from the great Finnish conducting tradition”, Rouvali will take up his new position at the beginning of the 2017/18 season. His appointment underlines the special relationship forged between conductor and orchestra since their first concert together in August 2014.

Rouvali will return to the Gothenburg Symphony for two high-profile concerts in the forthcoming season, conducting Bartók in September, and Prokofiev with the orchestra’s Artist-in-Residence Truls Mørk in May. Rouvali’s inaugural season as Chief Conductor will include a tour to Scandinavian capitals with pianist Hélène Grimaud. Santtu-Matias Rouvali is currently Chief Conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic, and regularly guest conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Forthcoming highlights include concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Minnesota Orchestra. 

“I am proud to follow in the footsteps of previous Principal Conductors of the Gothenburg Symphony, Neeme Järvi, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel among them. I have enjoyed some fantastic concerts with the orchestra and look forward to making music with these wonderful musicians again this autumn. Finland and Sweden both have a rich musical culture, which is why I can’t wait to bring the best of both together in Gothenburg and on our international tours.”

Santtu-Matias Rouvali

“With his organic musicianship and irresistible charisma, Santtu-Matias Rouvali has taken both orchestra and audience by storm. He has clearly shown that he represents something fresh and unique as a conductor. Santtu-Matias brings the best of two worlds: he is deeply rooted in the Gothenburg Symphony’s Nordic music tradition and, with his dynamic youthfulness, Rouvali represents something we firmly believe to be the future in the world of classical music. We are confident that he will shape and develop the orchestra with his artistic brilliance and insight.”

Sten Cranner, General Manager and Artistic Director of the Gothenburg Symphony