Important changes to the festival, 2-8 August 2020
We are thrilled to announce this very special event, where we will have a great number of eminent guests taking part in LEAD!’s masterclasses, both as teachers and conductors. In addition to LEAD! artistic director Jukka-Pekka Saraste and distinguished teacher Jorma Panula, renowned artists Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sakari Oramo, Dalia Stasevska, Klaus Mäkelä and Pekka Kuusisto will appear as special guests and mentors.
We will be running conducting masterclasses, career workshops, discussions and advice sessions centering on leadership, mentorship and the music business, aimed at the next generation of young conductors, both in Finland and internationally.
Masterclasses will include active work with orchestra, where participants’ work is analysed, critiqued and discussed.
Career workshops will encompass the professional coaching and advice on the classical music business, essential for young conductors to kickstart and develop their careers. The music industry has experienced significant changes due to the current pandemic, and knowledge of how the business works is now more important than ever.
Public concerts will be running throughout the week, and a final concert in honour of Jorma Panula’s 90th birthday will be held in the village of Fiskars, Finland, on 8 August 2020, where both conductor mentors and students will be performing.
We hope that, in addition to our students and observers, remote participants will also join us.
We will be continuing our series of online workshops, held for young artists during the period of lockdown, during this year’s festival. In addition to observing the masterclasses, remote participants will have the opportunity to take part in career workshops, discussions and Q&A sessions.
Artistic Director Jukka-Pekka Saraste remarks:
“I’m very excited about the Fiskars Summer Festival – my first organised mentorship scheme for young artists. During my professional life I have always tried to help musicians and young conductors wherever I can, but I find the context of LEAD! the most in-spiring and well-suited for giving support – working with both musicians and conductors to produce the maximum for a musical performance. It’s about how an individual can col-laborate constructively and contribute his or her utmost to a musical performance, and showing them how to do this”.