Leif Segerstam

Leif Segerstam

Leif Segerstam (born 2 March 1944 in Vaasa) is a Finnish conductor and composer.

He studied violin, piano and conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and conducting at the Juilliard School in New York with Jean Morel.

Segerstam served as chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from 1995 to 2007, and now holds the title of Chief Conductor Emeritus with the orchestra. He has held positions with numerous other orchestras, including the Danish National Radio Symphony and the Austrian Radio Symphony, and has guest-conducted many orchestras throughout the world including the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony and the Brazilian OSESP - the Symphony Orchestra of the State of São Paulo. He is also the professor of conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. His students include Susanna Mälkki, Mikk Murdvee, Sasha Mäkilä and Markku Laakso.^{[citation needed]}

Recordings

He is widely known through his recorded discography, which includes the complete symphonies of Sibelius, Nielsen, and Mahler, as well as many works by contemporary composers such as the Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara and the American composers John Corigliano and Christopher Rouse.

Compositions

As a composer, he is known especially for his numerous symphonies. He will almost certainly soon hold the world record in the number of symphonies ever composed, currently at 253 as of January 2012 (the record holder is Rowan Taylor, who composed 265) of which over a hundred have been completely performed.

He is equally known for his series of "Orchestral Diary Sheets", many of which are intended to be performed without a conductor. He developed a personal approach to aleatory composition through a style called "free pulsation" in which musical events interact flexibly in time.

Personal life

Segerstam's father was the late Selim Segerstam, who made several song books.

He was married to the violinist Hannele Segerstam (concertmaster of the Finnish RSO). They have two children, Jan and Pia; Pia is a professional cellist.

After Segerstam's divorce from Hannele Segerstam, he married the Helsinki Philharmonic harpist Minnaleena Segerstam. They have three children. In 2009 it was announced that their marriage would end.^{[citation needed]}

Works

• 251 Symphonies (as of August 2011)
• 30 String quartets
• 13 Violin concertos
• 8 Cello concertos
• 4 Viola concertos
• 4 Piano concertos

Awards

In 1999, he was awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize for his work as a "tireless champion of Scandinavian Music."

External links

Biography

• Finnish Music Information Centre
• Leif Segerstam profile at Ondine Records

Interviews

• Leif Segerstam interview by Bruce Duffie, December 5, 1997

Preceded by Milan Horvat	Principal Conductor, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra 1975–1982	Succeeded by Lothar Zagrosek
Preceded by Okko Kamu	Principal Conductor, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 1977–1987	Succeeded by Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Preceded by Lamberto Gardelli	Principal Conductor, Danish National Symphony Orchestra 1988–1995	Succeeded by Ulf Schirmer
Preceded by Sergiu Comissiona	Principal Conductor, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra 1995–2007	Succeeded by John Storgårds
Preceded by Eri Klas	Professor of conducting, Sibelius Academy 1997-	Succeeded by incumbent