Finnish conductor Maria Itkonen has established herself as one of the most interesting and versatile conductors of her generation both in opera and orchestral repertoire. Recent highlights include debuts with Teatro de la Maestranza Sevilla, Auditorium-Orchestre national de Lyon, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Amongst the Nordic orchestras with which she has appeared are Tampere and Turku Philharmonic Orchestras as well as Odense, Malmö, Norrköping, Gävle and Helsingborg Symphony Orchestras. She made her opera debut at Folkoperan Stockholm in September 2022 conducting Norma. Itkonen has premiered numerous works from Finnish contemporary composers.

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Maria Itkonen studied conducting with professor Jorma Panula in Finland, and at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm. She has taken part on conducting masterclasses at The Royal Opera House in London, and at The LEAD!- academy with maestro Jukka-Pekka Saraste. 

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Before focusing in conducting, Itkonen made a career as a concertmaster in leading European orchestras such as Luzern Symphony Orchestra and WDR Symphony Orchestra Köln. She has worked regularly with several maestros such as James Levine, Bernard Haitink, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Valery Gergiev, Cristoph Eschenbach, Herbert Blomstedt and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

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Itkonen has received scholarships and awards from The Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Pro Orchestra and Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation throughout her career.

 

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