Top Finnish conductor Salonen praises Estonia's music scene as among most interesting
Renowned Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen told Klassikaraadio that Estonia's music scene is one of the most interesting at present. He singled out young composer Alisson Kruusmaa, whose work he recently conducted at the Tanglewood Music Festival.
Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen has said in an interview with Klassikaraadio that he closely follows Estonia's music scene, describing it as one of the liveliest and most interesting in the world today.
The 68-year-old recently conducted a performance of Estonian composer Alisson Kruusmaa's work "Mesmerism" at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Festival. He first learned of Kruusmaa years ago through musician friends whose judgment he trusts, and after exploring her work concluded that she already has a distinct creative identity that will continue to develop.
An open scene unburdened by the past
Discussing the broader Estonian and Nordic music scene, Salonen highlighted its openness and supportive atmosphere. He said musicians in the Baltic and Scandinavian region are not weighed down by the legacy of past great masters, allowing them creative freedom without ideological constraints.
Salonen also spoke of his personal ties to Estonia, including a long friendship with members of the Järvi musical family — he met Neeme Järvi as a student in Helsinki, while Kristjan Järvi worked as his assistant in Los Angeles.
Upcoming performance and views on the industry
On August 29, Salonen will lead the closing concert of the Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm, featuring the Swedish premiere of a saxophone concerto by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür. The concert will be broadcast live on Klassikaraadio.
In the interview, Salonen also discussed the importance of long-term thinking in music institutions, warning that short-term approaches in business and politics threaten cultural continuity. He called on institutions to become more flexible in supporting creative ideas. He noted that young musicians today face challenges such as economic insecurity, climate change and war in Europe. He plans to spend the rest of the summer working with youth orchestras before returning to composing his own works.
