The Orchestre de Paris has announced the appointment of Esa-Pekka Salonen as its next music director. Beginning in September 2027, the Finnish conductor and composer will hold the post for five years while also serving as holder of the newly created Chair of Creation and Innovation at the Philharmonie de Paris.
Salonen succeeds Klaus Mäkelä, who has led the orchestra since 2021 and will remain until the end of his mandate in 2027. Mäkelä, one of the most sought-after young conductors, will then assume his roles with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, while keeping close ties with Paris.
The Philharmonie announced that Salonen’s tenure will feature complete cycles of Beethoven and Mahler symphonies, a Henri Dutilleux retrospective, and explorations of Bartók and Sibelius. His programs will include international tours and collaborations with leading soloists. He will also be involved in wide-ranging initiatives across the Philharmonie, from education and technology to interdisciplinary projects with artists such as Benjamin Millepied and composers like Gabriella Smith.
Although his appointment begins officially in 2027, Salonen will be present in Paris as early as the 2025/26 season, conducting four weeks of concerts that range from Wagner and Prokofiev to Bruckner and Sibelius, with guest artists including Yuja Wang, Renaud Capuçon and Stefan Dohr, who will premiere his new horn concerto.
In parallel, Salonen will return to Los Angeles, where he was music director of the Philharmonic from 1992 to 2009. The orchestra has created a new five-year position for him as the Judith & Thomas L. Beckmen Creative Director, beginning in 2026.
In this role, Salonen will conduct the LA Phil for four weeks in the 2026/27 season and at least six weeks in subsequent seasons. The appointment carries no administrative obligations but will allow him to focus on artistic projects: creating festivals, commissioning premieres, and developing immersive collaborations such as a partnership with Lightroom, the London-based art and technology initiative. He will also mentor emerging conductors through the newly launched Salonen International Conducting Fellowship.
“I am thrilled to be in a position where creative work behind the scenes is just as important as conducting an orchestra,” Salonen said. “Los Angeles and Paris have been the places where true magic has happened in my career, and I look forward to inventing new musical worlds with both institutions.”
Salonen’s recent career has been marked by both innovation and turbulence. His tenure as music director of the San Francisco Symphony (2020–2025) ended abruptly after disagreements with the board, although he concluded with a celebrated performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony in June 2025. His dual leadership in Paris and Los Angeles signals a new chapter, uniting two of the world’s most adventurous orchestras in a partnership that reflects his artistic vision and international influence.
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