Born in Finland, Jukka-Pekka Saraste began his career as a violinist before studying conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Today he ranks among the most important conductors, distinguished by his musical depth and great integrity. Since the summer of 2023, he has been Principal Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. From 2010 to 2019, he was Principal Conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra in Cologne. Previously, he was Music Director of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and worked with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He also founded the LEAD! Foundation, which offers a mentoring programme for young conductors and soloists, and since 2020 has organised a summer festival in Fiskars, Finland. In recent seasons, he has turned more towards opera, working in particular with the MusikTheater an der Wien, the Finnish National Opera and the Bayerische Staatsoper.