The 1994 Turku National Cello Competition awarded its first prize to a musician who would eventually pivot from professional cello performance to orchestral conducting. Susanna Mälkki, born in Helsinki in 1969, transitioned from being a principal cellist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra to an international career leading some of the world's most prominent musical ensembles and opera houses.
Early Training and Instrumentalist Years
Mälkki’s formative musical training began in Finland, where she developed proficiency in piano, violin, and cello. Her formal education included studies at the Sibelius Academy, where she learned conducting from Jorma Panula, Eri Klas, and Leif Segerstam. She further refined her skills at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1998, she participated in a Sibelius Academy workshop at Carnegie Hall under the guidance of Panula and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Before committing fully to the podium, she served as the principal cellist for the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra between 1995 and 1998.
Leadership in Contemporary Music
In 2004, Mälkki debuted with the Ensemble InterContemporain at the Lucerne Festival. Two years later, she became the organization's music director, a position she held until 2013. Her tenure with the ensemble solidified her reputation as a specialist in contemporary repertoire. She has recorded music by various composers for the Kairos label, including Bruno Mantovani, Luca Francesconi, Philippe Manoury, Michael Jarrell, Pierre Jodlowski, and Yann Robin. Additionally, she holds a residency in Paris, where she frequently engages with the French language.
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Mälkki has reached significant milestones in global opera and symphonic music. In 2011, she became the first woman to conduct an opera production at La Scala in Milan, leading the world premiere of Luca Francesconi's Quartett. Her North American debut occurred in 2007 with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. She later served as the first female principal guest conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 2017 to 2021. Between 2016 and 2023, she served as the principal conductor for the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. In August 2025, she is set to become the professor of orchestral conducting at the Sibelius Academy.
Awards and Recognition
Her professional contributions have earned multiple national and international honors. She received the Finnish National Prize in 2005 and the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2011. In 2015, she was named a Knight of the Legion of Honour, and she was later appointed Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2024. Other distinctions include the Madetoja Prize, the Nordic Council Music Prize in 2017, and inclusion in the Forbes 50 Over 50 list for the EMEA region in 2022.
Fast facts
- Born: 1969, Helsinki, Finland
- Primary Occupations: Conductor, cellist
- Education: Sibelius Academy, Royal Academy of Music
- EIC Music Director: 2006-2013
- Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal Guest Conductor: 2016-2021
- Knight of the Legion of Honour: 2015
- Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland: 2024
- Languages: French
Questions readers ask
What instruments does Susanna Mälkki play?
She is trained in piano, violin, and cello, with her professional career as an instrumentalist focused on the cello.
Did she hold a position at the Los Angeles Philharmonic?
Yes, she served as the orchestra's principal guest conductor from 2016 to 2021.
Is she still involved with the Sibelius Academy?
Yes, she was appointed as the academy's professor of orchestral conducting, effective August 1, 2025.
Achievements
- Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland — 2011
- Knight of the Legion of Honour — 2015
- Finnish National Prize — 2005
- Madetoja Prize
- Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland — 2024
- Instruments: cello
