Conductor Susanna Mälkki appointed Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy
Susanna Mälkki is the new visionary in the long continuum of Finland’s internationally renowned conductor education. She will assume her position on 1 August 2025.
Susanna Mälkki (b. 1969) is one of Finland’s most sought-after conductors internationally, having made a groundbreaking career with numerous prestigious symphony orchestras and opera houses worldwide. She has been widely acclaimed for her versatile repertoire and deeply insightful approach, which elevates orchestras to exceptional performances.
“I am greatly inspired by the opportunity to teach at my alma mater and to further develop the Sibelius Academy’s renowned conductor education to respond to the ever-changing needs of the cultural field,” Mälkki says.
“Conductor training is possibly the most comprehensive education in the field of music. In the future, we will continue to need artists with both sound professional skills and insight as well as a sense of responsibility for the living history of music and its transmission to audiences and future generations,” she adds.
The professorship in conducting and orchestral education is a permanent part-time position, allowing for the continuation of a busy international career in opera and concert alongside academic responsibilities. Mälkki succeeds Sakari Oramo, who will step down from the position in the summer of 2025.
“Susanna Mälkki’s appointment is a unique and historic moment for us. It is an honour to welcome one of today’s leading conductors into our community, bringing an exceptional breadth of artistic experience to the Sibelius Academy’s internationally renowned conducting and orchestral education,” says Emilie Gardberg, Dean of the Sibelius Academy of Uniarts Helsinki.
A world-class reputation with a live orchestra
The Sibelius Academy’s conductor education is one of Finland’s most prestigious areas of excellence, attracting continuous international interest. Its cornerstones include nearly weekly practice with a dedicated training orchestra and established collaborations with professional orchestras across Finland.
The international conducting class consists of 7–9 bachelor’s and master’s students at a time, with only one or two new students admitted annually through a rigorous selection process. The Sibelius Academy’s orchestral training involves approximately 300 orchestral instrument students across various degree programmes each year.
Susanna Mälkki
Susanna Mälkki studied cello at the Edsberg Music Institute in Sweden, the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Sibelius Academy. She graduated from the Sibelius Academy as a Master of Music, first as a cellist in 1995 and then as a conductor in 1999. In 2024, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Susanna Mälkki performs with leading orchestras in Europe, North America and Asia, as well as at all major opera houses.
Mälkki served as Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from 2016 to 2023, Principal Guest Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 2017 to 2021, Principal Guest Conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon from 2013 to 2016 and Music Director of the Ensemble InterContemporain in Paris from 2006 to 2013.
Susanna Mälkki has received the Finland Prize from the Ministry of Education (2005), Pro Finlandia Medal from the Order of the Lion of Finland (2011), Nordic Council Music Prize (2017), the Pacius Prize by the Swedish Literary Society in Finland (2023) and the Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland (2024).
Mälkki has been awarded the decorations of both the Officier and Commandeur (2014 and 2022) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur of France (2016).
Susanna Mälkki is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London and a member of the Kungliga Musikaliska Akademien in Stockholm. In 2017, the classical music magazine Musical America named her Conductor of the Year.
Read more about Susanna Mälkki on her homepage.
Overview of the recruitment process
The recruitment process for the new professor of conducting and orchestral education was carried out through an invitation-based procedure.
“Top conductors with prominent international careers are highly sought after and often booked years in advance. Most do not apply for positions in open calls but are invited for both artistic and teaching positions. For these reasons, filling this position by invitation was seen as the primary option,” Gardberg says.
Before the recruitment process was launched, discussions were held to identify the different views, needs and wishes of the relevant parties involved in the professorship. Among others, staff and students of the conducting programme, as well as representatives from the departments of orchestral instruments, were consulted.
Discussions with experienced experts in the orchestral field were also conducted to explore the possibilities for an invitation process. These discussions highlighted the need to appoint a high-profile, internationally recognised conductor to ensure the continuity of this world-class programme, one with a long tradition and an excellent reputation.
According to the Universities Act, a professorship may be filled by invitation without a public notice of vacancy when an academically distinguished person is invited to take the position, or when a candidate is appointed for a fixed term. Only a candidate who indisputably meets the qualification requirements may be appointed by invitation.
Internationally renowned conductor Susanna Mälkki was preselected to be invited to the position. During her extensive career, she has visited the conducting class and received highly positive feedback from students.
After the recruitment was discussed by the Academy Board (2 December 2025), the dean nominated the following members to the recruitment committee: Vice Dean Jenni Lättilä (chair), Head of the Conducting Programme Kaisa Holopainen, Professor of Choral Conducting, conductor Nils Schweckendiek and conducting student Kristian Sallinen. Professor and conductor Per Borin was appointed as an external expert.
For an appointment valid until further notice, statements on the qualifications and merits of an invitee must also be requested from a minimum of two assessors.
The dean appointed three internationally acclaimed experts for the reviewer role, all of whom, in addition to their artistic conducting careers, have experience as professors or in other teaching positions at a university or other higher education institution.
All the experts concluded in their statements that they were convinced Susanna Mälkki is indisputably eligible and qualified for the position of professor of conducting and orchestral education. They considered her artistic merits and versatility as a conductor to be exceptional and agreed that she would be an excellent choice for the professorship.
Following these expert statements, the recruitment committee unanimously agreed that Susanna Mälkki is qualified for the position and recommended that the dean of the Sibelius Academy propose to the rector of Uniarts Helsinki to appoint her as professor of conducting and orchestral education.
The dean consulted the Academy Board on 3 March 2025 and received its support for the proposal. Rector Kaarlo Hildén confirmed the nomination on 3 March 2025.