Erkki Korhonen (born 1956 in

Hämeenlinna Hämeenlinna (; sv, Tavastehus; krl, Hämienlinna; la, Tavastum or ''Croneburgum'') is a city and municipality of about inhabitants in the heart of the historical province of Tavastia and the modern province of Kanta-Häme in the south of ...

) is a Finnish

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

, conductor and former director of the Finnish National Opera.

Education

He graduated from the

Sibelius Academy The Sibelius Academy ( fi, Taideyliopiston Sibelius-Akatemia, sv, Sibelius-Akademin vid Konstuniversitetet) is part of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It ...

in 1983. Continuing his studies in piano, vocal accompaniment and conducting with such names as György Sebök, Dimitri Bashkirov, Tamas Vásáry and Hartmut Höll, he specialised in opera coaching and worked under Max Epstein, Ubaldo Gardini and Alberto Zedda as well as Marc Belfort, Tamas Blum and Ralf Weikert at the Zurich Opera.

Career

Becoming a lecturer at the renowned

, from 1989 to 1997, Korhonen taught at numerous conservatories throughout Finland as well as coached for more than twenty years at the Finnish National Opera, the Savonlina Opera Festival, the Zurich Opera and most recently at the Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar. In 1997 he was appointed the head of the International Opera Studio in Zurich and in 2001 he became the general director of the Finnish National Opera until 2007.

Recognition and honors

Having performed as a soloist, as well as in chamber works, throughout Europe and North America, Korhonen has made several radio and television appearances. To honour his contributions to the arts, he received the Sibelius Medal from the

Sibelius Society of Finland The Sibelius Society of Finland ( fi, Sibelius-Seura ry, sv, Sibelius-Samfundet rf) is a society in Finland dedicated to the music of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It was set up in December 1957. The Society and the Ministry of Education o ...

and the Medals of the cities

and

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

Board memberships

As artistic advisor and board member of various European festivals and music organisations such as the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition, Korhonen often serves as a jury member at numerous competitions, e.g. Competizione del opera, Dresden, Queen Sonja International Music Competition, Lappeenranta singing competition, Marseille singing competition, Ernst Haefliger singing competition.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Korhonen, Erkki 1956 births Living people People from Hämeenlinna Finnish pianists Finnish classical pianists Finnish conductors (music) 21st-century conductors (music) 21st-century pianists