Chief Conductor

Erkki Lasonpalo began his conducting studies in 2007 in Jorma Panula’s youth conducting class, continuing from 2008 at the Sibelius Academy under Professor Leif Segerstam. He completed his conducting diploma in spring 2012 with excellent marks.

Since earning his diploma, Lasonpalo has guest-conducted all Finnish city orchestras, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and internationally with the Gothenburg and Iceland Symphony Orchestras, Kokkola Opera, the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Alicante and Málaga Symphony Orchestras, and Sinfonietta Cracovia.

He served as Artistic Director of the Heinävesi Music Days from 2014 to 2023. In spring 2020, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Lappeenranta City Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the Mikkeli City Orchestra. In spring 2023, he was named Artistic Director of the Mikkeli Music Festival. Additionally, Lasonpalo is Artistic Director of the national youth orchestra Vivo and Chief Conductor of the Tapiola Youth Symphony Orchestra. He also performs actively as a violinist and has recorded for labels such as BIS and Alba Records.

Lasonpalo began violin studies at the Lahti Conservatory with Pertti Sutinen. At the Sibelius Academy, he studied violin from 2004 with professors Mi-Kyung Lee, Päivyt Meller, Réka Szilvay, and Tero Latvala. He is the second violinist of the Postiglione String Quartet, which won the international Night and Sun string quartet competition in summer 2009.