Finnish conductor Klaus Mäkelä has held the position of chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic since 2020 and music director of the Orchestre de Paris since September 2021. He assumes the title of chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in September 2027 and, in the same season, begins his tenure as Zell Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. An exclusive Decca Classics artist, he has recorded two albums featuring Ballets Russes scores by Stravinsky and Debussy with Orchestre de Paris. With the Oslo Philharmonic, he has recorded the complete Sibelius Symphonies, Sibelius’ and Prokofiev’s first Violin Concerto with Janine Jansen and Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 and 6.

Shostakovich continues as the composer spotlight in Mäkelä’s fifth season with the Oslo Philharmonic, which opened with performances of Symphony No. 5 at the Salzburg and Berlin Music Festivals. This season he also conducts Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos. 1, 11 and 15 at home in Oslo, whilst additional program highlights include Andrew Norman’s Play, Anders Hillborg’s new piano concerto MAX with soloist Emanuel Ax, and Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen Suite.

With a focus on French composers and new works, Mäkelä’s fourth season with the Orchestre de Paris pays tribute to the anniversaries of both Ravel and Boulez and features music by Berlioz, Fauré, Debussy, Poulenc and Messiaen. The season also includes premieres of new commissions: Thierry Escaich’s Lux Aeterna and Charlotte Bray’s A Sky Too Small. In addition to celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Philharmonie de Paris, the orchestra tours extensively throughout Europe and returns to Asia in June.

Guest conducting engagements in the 2024/25 Season include performances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra and Berliner Philharmoniker. Mäkelä recently made his first appearance with the Vienna Philharmonic in Vienna and on tour. This season he is also a Focus Artist at the Vienna Musikverein and Portrait Artist at the Essen Philharmonie and Brussels Bozar.

As a cellist, Mäkelä partners with members of the Oslo Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris and Concertgebouw Orchestra for occasional programs, and each summer he performs at the Verbier Festival.