The Helsinki Philharmonic have announced that their next Chief Conductor – replacing John Storgårds in 2016 – will be Susanna Mälkki. Currently Principal Guest Conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Portugal, Mälkki opened the new Finnish National Opera season on Friday conducting Le nozze di Figaro - a rare venture into Classical repertoire. As Chief Conductor, Mälkki will conduct 8-10 HPO concerts per season. She said, 'It is with the greatest joy and pride that I will take on my new position with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. This orchestra has played a central role in the musical history of my country for well over a hundred years, having premiered a large number of works by Jean Sibelius among others. It's been led by some of the finest Finnish conductors and many of its musicians are my old colleagues; all of which makes it a very special connection indeed. I am greatly looking forward to this collaboration.'

Fabio Luisi has been appointed Principal Conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, succeeding Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, who died earlier this year. Luisi is currently Principal Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York and General Music Director of Zurich Opera. Luisi has signed a three-year contract running from 2017-20 and said, 'I have loved the Danish National Symphony Orchestra from the first moment we worked together in 2010.'