Esa-Pekka Salonen
Artist in Residence at the Bergen International Festival 2026
‘Esa-Pekka Salonen has been a superstar on the classical music scene for decades, with a deep and lasting impact as both composer and conductor.’
Those are the words of Festival Director Lars Petter Hagen describing music legend Esa-Pekka Salonen, who is the Artist in Residence at the Bergen International Festival in 2026.
The New York Times describes Salonen as a conductor at the very height of his powers - capable of doing anything, anywhere. In 2026, he comes to Bergen to conduct Olivier Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
Salonen’s journey into music began at the age of eight, when he heard Finnish singer Kirka perform Ilon Laulu on the radio –a song that quoted the theme from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. That moment sparked what would become a remarkable career.
More than fifty years later, Salonen has held the positions of Principal Conductor or Music Director with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, and the San Francisco Symphony. He has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras - including the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra - and performed in concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, and Suntory Hall in Tokyo.
He is a conductor at the top of his field, and the kind of composer who can bring on not just one high-profile commissioner but several for each new piece he writes, the New York Times wrote about Salonen.
A cross-disciplinary visionary
At the heart of Salonen’s artistry lies his tireless search for new ways to open classical music to a broader audience. As a widely respected composer and conductor, he has been particularly devoted to breaking down the barriers between artist and listener.
Nurturing rising talent has been another consistent thread in his work. For many years, he has introduced emerging composers and performers, commissioning new works and creating space for fresh musical voices to be heard. He is also known for his pioneering approach to technology in the arts, and for spearheading innovative interdisciplinary projects.
‘He has a passionate commitment to the role of classical music in society - how it can evolve, renew itself, and reach new audiences. A thinker, a visionary - and a musical force of our time,’ says Hagen.
The Bergen International Festival's Artist in Residence programme is supported by Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen.
A thinker, a visionary - and a musical force of our time, says Hagen on Esa-Pekka Salonen.
