A 17 January 1996 birth in Helsinki initiated a musical trajectory that transitioned Klaus Mäkelä from cellist to an internationally active conductor.
Early Career and Finnish Roots
Born to a family of musicians—his father Sami Mäkelä is a cellist, his mother Taru Myöhänen-Mäkelä a pianist, and his grandfather Tapio Myöhänen a violinist and violist—Klaus Mäkelä established early performance credentials as a soloist with orchestras including the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra, and the Jyväskylä Sinfonia. He also performed at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and the Naantali Music Festival. Between 2018 and 2024, he served as the artistic director of the Turku Music Festival, gaining experience in large-scale organizational leadership.
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Mäkelä's shift to professional conducting gained momentum in 2017 following his debut with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, which led to his appointment as the ensemble's youngest-ever principal guest conductor. In 2020, he began his tenure as chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, a role scheduled to conclude at the end of the 2025-2026 season. Simultaneously, he assumed the role of music director for the Orchestre de Paris in 2021, a position he will hold until the close of the 2026-2027 season.
Future Appointments and Recording Career
The scope of his influence continues with upcoming commitments as chief conductor-designate of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and music director-designate of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, both beginning in the 2027-2028 season. As one of only three conductors in Decca’s history to hold an exclusive recording contract, his discography includes the complete Sibelius symphonies with the Oslo Philharmonic, as well as works by Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Debussy, Berioz, and Ravel. His 2023 Orchestre de Paris recording of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and The Firebird earned him the 2024 OPUS Klassik Conductor of the Year award.
Fast facts
- Born: 17 January 1996, Helsinki, Finland
- Primary Occupations: Conductor, cellist
- Education: Sibelius Academy
- Notable Recording Label: Decca
- Sibelius Medal recipient: 2022
- Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres: 2025
- Former partner: Yuja Wang
Questions readers ask
What is the duration of his upcoming Chicago Symphony Orchestra contract?
His initial contract as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is for five years, effective with the 2027–2028 season.
Which orchestra did he lead for the recording of the complete Sibelius symphonies?
He recorded the complete Sibelius symphonies with the Oslo Philharmonic.
Achievements
- Instruments: cello
- Genres: classical music
