Leif Segerstam

Leif Segerstam (born March 2, 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.

He is currently the emeritus chief conductor of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. He has held positions with numerous other orchestras, including the Danish National Radio Symphony and the Austrian Radio Symphony, and 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.

He is also known for his odd use of the English Language, and a [http://www.grahamnasby.com/misc/musichumour_leif-segerstam-quotations.shtml list of quotations] has been compiled by Dale Gold, retired Principal Double Bass of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

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 composers Einojuhani Rautavaara and the American composers John Corigliano and Christopher Rouse.

Compositions

As a composer, he is known especially for his numerous symphonies. He is currently holding a world record with over 200 symphonies of which over a hundred are 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 through a style called "free pulsation" in which musical events interact in time flexibly.

Works

*"208 Symphonies (on August 17th, 2008)
*"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."

References

* [http://www.fimic.fi/contemporary/composers/segerstam+leif Finnish Music Information Centre]
* [http://www.ondine.net/index.php?lid=en&cid=3.2&oid=182 Leif Segerstam profile at Ondine Records]