The Netherlands’ Rotterdam Philharmonic Announces Permanent Guest Conductor

Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski, will assume the role on a four-year contract as of the orchestra’s 2023/24 season

Tarmo Peltokoski, 22, made his debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (RPhO) in May 2022, replacing Valery Gergiev in performances featuring pianist Yuja Wang as soloist and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 — which Peltokoski led to great acclaim. 

The May concert was hailed by the Netherlands’ NRC media as one of the best of 2022, and it was during this time that Peltokoski was approached by RPhO to take on their permanent guest conductor role.

“The orchestra was very good and very nice — the latter is important to me,” Peltokoski told NRC. “During the intermission of the second concert they asked me for this [permanent guest conductor] position. To quote The Godfather, it was an offer I couldn't refuse,” he continued. 

Across his tenure, Peltokoski will lead 12 projects across each season. On September 18, 2022, he will conduct RPhO in programs including Sibelius’s Symphony No. 7, Strauss’s Don Juan, and Gerswhin’s Rhapsody in Blue — featuring RPhO chief conductor Lahav Shani on the piano part. To attend the concert, click here.

“Peltokoski is an up-and-coming talent and has a lot to offer at a young age,” said RPhO general director, George Wiegel in the press release. “Immediately on the first acquaintance, there was an instant connection between him and our orchestra,” he added. “For us, and also for him, it was clear from that moment on that we would very much like to enter into a long-term collaboration.” 

“Rotterdam is a place where young conducting talent has often risen to great heights; we look forward to seeing how Tarmo will develop with us,” added RPhO artistic manager Floris Don. “In any case, his concert this weekend will be a big party, with our own chief conductor at the piano: we couldn’t have had a better start.”

Peltokoski is currently the principal guest conductor of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and is the first to hold this position in the orchestra’s 42-year history. His conducting engagements have included the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Sinfonia Lahti, Finnish National Opera, and Kammerorchester Basel.

He has studied with mentors including Jorma Panula, Sakari Oramo, Hannu Lintu, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste. Also an acclaimed pianist, Peltokoski studies piano at the Sibelius Academy with Antti Hotti and has appeared solo with all major Finnish orchestras. In 2018, Peltokoski was named Young Musician of the Year by the Pro Musica Foundation.