Esa-Pekka Salonen (born June 30th, 1958, in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish conductor and composer. He was Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London (2008-2017), Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Composer-In-Residence at the New York Philharmonic. He was the Musical Director of the San Francisco Symphony from 2020, and in early 2024 announced that he will resign after the 2024-25 season.

He studied horn and composition at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and conducting with Jorma Panula. One of his classmates was the composer Magnus Lindberg with whom Salonen formed the groups Korvat auki and Toimii. Later on Salonen studied with the composers Franco Donatoni, Niccolò Castiglioni and Einojuhani Rautavaara.

His first conducting experience was in 1979 with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1983, he replaced an indisposed Michael Tilson Thomas to conduct a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the Philharmonia Orchestra at very short notice, and it launched his career as a conductor. He was the Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia from 1985 to 1994.

Salonen was Chief Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1985-1995. He made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1984, becoming the orchestra’s tenth Music Director.

He is married to violinist Jane Price and they have three children. They reside in Los Angeles, California.