Canada picks Finn-style conductor
OrchestrasThe incoming music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra is to be James S. Kahane, 28.
Like so many sticks these fays, he speaks fluent Finnish.
Kahane studied in Sakari Oramo’s conducting class at the Sibelius Academy. He went on to become assistant to Susanna Mälkki at the Helsinki Philharmonic. He was founding member and Principal Conductor of the Helsinki Chamber Orchestra and got to conduct the Lahti Symphony, Jyväskylä Sinfonia and the Helsinki Phil.
Why Finland? That’s where they make ’em these days.
You didn’t mention that he is French and has had a fairly wide ranging career in Europe while being based in Finland. Apparently that qualifies him for the popular game of SD Finn bashing I suppose. Though I’m still trying to figure out in what the Finns have sinned.
The Finns haven’t sinned. It’s the prevailing culture of hyping Finnish conductors JUST because their Finnish that is the crazy thing.
When people hear a conductor is from Finland, I feel like culture already assumes they must be amazing, before even hearing or seeing them. This is a form of privilege afforded to conductors from no other place. So it is easy for Finnish conductors to get ahead.
What might for some people be considered “youth and inexperience” is treated for Finns as “very talented and young with some faults, but they’ll grow with the position.” So the perception is that young Finnish conductors may not face the same roadblocks as young conductors from elsewhere.
These statements have nothing to do with the conductor above specifically – having not ever seen him I’ll not comment. Congrats to him and I hope it’s a great partnership!
The success of Finnish conductors might also have something do with the two following factors: the conducting course at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki – introduced by Jorma Panula – has the student conductors lead orchestral rehearsals without interruption from the teacher. These rehearsals are recorded on video and the classes that follow use the recording to analyse technique and leadership. In addition, Finland has around 30 orchestras (with a population of 5.5 million) which provide apple opportunity for their young conductors. Hence Finland’s unique standing in the world of conductors.
The general level of musical .education is extremely high, giving them a leg up on most other nations. Anglo-Canadian friends of mine, both professional musicians, emigrated to Finland because of the musical culture, education, and health care. Finland also has a well established choral tradition, which inculcates a musical appreciation at a popular level.
Well, it used to be that all the great conductors were trained next door by Mavrinsky in St. Petersburg, some 280 miles away from Helsinki. But nobody balked about that!