Sakari Oramo

Sakari Markus Oramo OBE^[1] (born October 26, 1965, Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish conductor.

Oramo started his career as a violinist and concertmaster of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1989, he enrolled in Jorma Panula's conducting class at the Sibelius Academy. In 1993, just one year after completing the course, he stood in for a sick conductor with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. This success led to his appointment as Co-Principal Conductor. Oramo has also worked with Finland's Avanti! ensemble.^[2] Since 2003, Oramo has been sole Principal Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In September 2010, the orchestra announced the conclusion of Oramo's tenure as principal conductor as of May 2012.^[3]

In September 1996, Oramo was named Principal Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), having conducted the CBSO in two concerts prior to that appointment. He assumed the post in 1998, and in 1999, was elevated to Music Director.^[4] His work in Birmingham has included the Floof! festival of contemporary music.^[5] He also championed the music of John Foulds in concerts and recordings with the CBSO.^{[6] [7]} In 2008, Oramo stepped down as the CBSO's Music Director and became the orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor for the 2008-2009 season.^[8]

In April 2007, Oramo was one of eight conductors of British orchestras to endorse the 10-year classical music outreach manifesto, "Building on Excellence: Orchestras for the 21st Century", to increase the presence of classical music in the UK, including giving free entry to all British schoolchildren to a classical music concert.^[9] In addition to his conducting and recording work, Oramo has also published newspaper articles on music.^{[7] [10]}

In September 2008, Oramo became Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. His initial contract in Stockholm was for three years.^[11] With the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, he has recorded symphonies of Robert Schumann.^[12] In 2011, Oramo's contract with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic was extended through 2015.

Oramo is married to the Finnish soprano Anu Komsi, and they have two sons, Taavi and Leevi.^[13] In May 2009, Oramo was awarded an honorary OBE for services to music in Birmingham.^[1] Oramo and Komsi, together with Annika Mylläri and Robert McLoud, founded West Coast Kokkola Opera in 2004. Oramo currently serves as its vice chairman and principal conductor.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} William Oliphant (11 May 2009). "Honorary OBE for CBSO's Oramo". Birmingham Post. http://www.birminghampost.net/2009/05/11/honorary-obe-for-cbso-s-oramo-65233-23590037/. Retrieved 2009-05-13. 
2. ^ Andrew Clements (25 October 2000). "Avanti!/Oramo". The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,702987,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
3. ^ "Sakari Oramo's Term as Chief Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra to end in 2012" (Press release). Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. 3 September 2010. http://yle.fi/rso/show_page.php?page=2000&cmd=archive_bulletins&ID=445&lang=eng. Retrieved 2010-09-29. 
4. ^ Tom Service (13 August 1999). "This man isn't rattled". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/friday_review/story/0,,281818,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
5. ^ Tom Service (31 May 2003). "Floof!". The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,967590,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
6. ^ Peter Culshaw (26 April 2006). "Visionary genius of the spirit world". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/04/26/bafoulds26.xml. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Sakari Oramo (28 April 2006). "The forgotten man". The Guardian. http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/story/0,,1893041,00.html. Retrieved 2007-09-01. 
8. ^ Terry Grimley (23 February 2006). "Who will pick up Oramo's baton?". The Birmingham Post. http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/perspective/features/tm_objectid=16737957&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=who-will-pick-up-oramo-s-baton--name_page.html. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
9. ^ Charlotte Higgins (26 April 2007). "Orchestras urge free concerts for children". The Guardian. http://education.guardian.co.uk/artinschools/story/0,,2066195,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
10. ^ Sakari Oramo (25 July 2007). "Stand up for the maestro". The Guardian. http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/story/0,,2087164,00.html. Retrieved 2007-09-01. 
11. ^ Vivien Schweitzer (31 March 2006). "Sakari Oramo to Succeed Alan Gilbert at Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra". Playbill Arts. http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/4259.html. Retrieved 2007-09-01. 
12. ^ Andrew Clements (2010-07-15). "Schumann: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 - Royal Stockholm PO/Oramo (Sony Classical)". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jul/15/schumann-oramo-review. Retrieved 2010-09-29. 
13. ^ Jenny Leonardz (10 September 2008). "Musiklek på blodigt allvar". Svenska Dagbladet. http://www.svd.se/kulturnoje/nyheter/artikel_1697085.svd. Retrieved 2009-12-06. 

External links

• Sakari Oramo biography at Harrison Parrott Agency
• Royal Stockholm Philharmonic / Konserthus Swedish-language page on Sakari Oramo
• Sakari Oramo biography at Hyperion Records
• Sakari Oramo biography at Ondine Records
• Sakari Oramo biography at Warner Classics

Preceded by Jukka-Pekka Saraste	Principal Conductor, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 2003–present	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Alan Gilbert	Principal Conductor, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra 2008–present	Succeeded by incumbent

Persondata
Name	Oramo, Sakari
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Date of birth	1965-10-26
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