Salonen named as Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich First-Ever Creative Chair

Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich has announced Esa-Pekka Salonen as their first-ever Creative Chair. The position is meant to honour a distinguished composer of our time who also appears on stage as a conductor or soloist. In addition to giving a comprehensive overview of his own work, Salonen will host workshops, lectures and talks throughout the season. Along with the Bamberger Symphoniker, New York Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich has commissioned, as part of the position, a new work to be performed on their opening night, September 10, 2014.

This season, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich is also proud to announce Lionel Bringuier as their new Principal Conductor. Long-time followers of Salonen will remember Bringuier as the promising assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, appointed by Salonen.

The works composed by Salonen that will be performed in Zurich next season are as listed:

New work for orchestra and chorus
Helix for orchestra
Piano Concerto
Violin Concerto
Memoria for wind quintet
Homunculus for string quartet
Second Meeting for oboe and piano
YTA III for solo cello
Nachtlieder for clarinet and piano
Nyx for orchestra

This week and next, Salonen will perform several concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Together they will play two programmes: one centered around Sibelius' Four Legends from the Kalevala paired with Bartók's lurid The Miraculous Mandarian, with a new piece by CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne; and one highlighting Dvorák's soulful Violin Concerto, two pieces by Janáček, and Salonen's own Nyx.