Tarmo Peltokoski

»Attention – a genius is coming! … Peltokoski not only possesses phenomenal technique, but also energy, musical instinct, stylistic and expressive clarity, and fiery dynamics – it leaves you speechless« (Rémy Louis in Diapason) At just 23 years old, Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski can boast of having taken on positions with four different orchestras in four countries within a single year. His extraordinary talent on the podium led to his breakthrough in the 2020/21 season, making him a global shooting star. In January 2022, he became Principal Guest Conductor of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, making him the first conductor to hold this position in the ensemble's 42-year history. In the following months, he was appointed Music and Artistic Director of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and Music Director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. Peltokoski, honored at the OPUS KLASSIK 2023 in the category »Young Artist of the Year,« was celebrated by the Berliner Tagesspiegel as a »talent of the century« and a »Finnish conducting prodigy.« He regularly captivates audiences worldwide with the depth and intensity of his music-making, whether in opera or the symphonic repertoire. Regarding a performance in Rotterdam, NRC Handelsblad wrote: »Stunning, breathtaking, so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes. Just writing about it gives me goosebumps again. How he did it is a mystery, but the most beautiful concert of the year took place in Rotterdam. Tarmo Peltokoski. Remember that name.« Orchestra musicians, in turn, highlight his knowledge and versatility and are enthusiastic about his unwavering commitment to developing an interpretation through collaborative exchange, as well as his inspiring communication skills and sense of humor. »Rehearsals are a conversation,« Peltokoski explains. »There's a constant discussion happening.« In October 2023, the Finnish conductor and pianist signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon – as the youngest conductor ever signed by the label. In May 2024, his first album will be released, featuring Mozart's Symphonies No. 35 in D major »Haffner,« No. 36 in C major »Linzer,« and No. 40 in G minor, recorded with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Additionally, the album includes three imaginative improvisations by pianist Peltokoski, whose witty and stylistically varied performances are each based on one of the symphonies. Tarmo Peltokoski's recent debuts include concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Oslo Philharmonic, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, The Hallé, DSO Berlin, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester, and NSO Washington. He made his North American debut in early 2023 with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and in August of that year, he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. His appearance at the helm of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse in December 2023 was streamed by Deutsche Grammophon on STAGE+ on January 6, 2024. A passionate Wagnerian, Peltokoski completed his first full Ring Cycle in August 2022 at Finland's Eurajoki Bel Canto Festival and conducted Tristan und Isolde the following spring in Eurajoki. In the summer and autumn of 2023, he led concert performances of Siegfried and Act 1 of Die Walküre in Riga with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki. Future highlights of his work include his first appearance with the SWR Symphonieorchester at the Pfingstfestspiele Baden-Baden, performances with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in Bremen, Essen, and Vienna – where he will make his debut in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein – as well as concerts with the RSB at the Konzerthaus Berlin. His calendar also includes Wagner's Götterdämmerung in Riga in the summer of 2024. Born in 2000, Tarmo Peltokoski began piano lessons at the age of eight. His technical skill on the instrument and innate musicality hinted at a career as a pianist, but when he heard Daniel Barenboim's recording of Wagner's Ring at age eleven, the decision was made: he wanted to be a conductor. The 14-year-old Tarmo received his first lessons in the art of conducting from the legendary Finnish pedagogue Jorma Panula. Four years later, he enrolled at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki to continue his conducting and piano studies and was soon accepted into Sakari Oramo's conducting class. Peltokoski's mentors also include Hannu Lintu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, whose professional advice complemented Peltokoski's own thorough study of opera and the symphonic repertoire. As a pianist, Tarmo Peltokoski has already performed as a concert soloist, among other roles. He is also interested in chamber music and coaching singers, and his piano improvisations and experience as a composer and arranger attest to his versatility as an artist. »Everything I do now basically started when I lost my mind listening to Wagner at age eleven,« he reports. »That's when my interest in conducting awakened. Everything developed from there.« 4/2024