SAULI SAARINEN
Conductor
Sauli Saarinen is a versatile conductor who has worked in several Finnish ensembles and orchestras. Since 2023, he has worked as a conductor in the Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces.
Highlights of the 2025 includes a conducting debuts with Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Lappeenranta City Orchestra and Kuopio City Orchestra
"I was very impressed with his ability to rehearse the orchestra quickly and effectively, his clear stick technique as well as his musical instincts. He clearly has a lot of natural ability and potential."
Osmo Vänskä
Conductor Laureate: Minnesota Orchestra
Honorary Conductor: Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Laureate: Lahti Symphony Orchestraa
"Sauli’s warm and humane attitude towards fellow musicians has made a big impact on me and my colleagues."
Atso Almila
Retired Professor of Conducting
Sibelius Academy
About
Sauli Saarinen (b. 1988) is a well renowned conductor who conducts music regardless of genre boundaries and has found himself taking on new challenges on very short notices. In 2021, he conducted the world premiere of the Tze Yeung Ho's modern chamber opera Minn(i)e in Tallinn, Estonia on a one week notice and in 2022, the opening concert of Xenakis100 Festival in Helsinki only on a three-day notice. In 2023, he made his conducting debuts with Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and Kymi Sinfonietta in highly acclaimed concerts.
Before appointed as a conductor in the Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces, he worked as a sub-principal trumpet in the Guards Band Helsinki and a principal-substitute in Vaasa City Orchestra and Pori Sinfonietta.
Saarinen studied trumpet at the Conservatoire of Tampere and conducting at the Sibelius Academy, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, and with Jorma Panula at the ‘Panula Academy’. He received his master’s degree in Conducting at the Sibelius Academy in 2022.
He has added to his knowledge and skills with numerous masterclasses. Saarinen has been taught by Jorma Panula, David Zinman, Osmo Vänskä, Hannu Lintu, Johannes Schlaefli, Johannes Wildner, Petri Komulainen, Jukka Iisakkila, Atso Almila, Felix Hauswirth, Petri Sakari, Nils Schweckendiek, Leonid Korchmar, Timothy Redmond and Graeme Jenkins.
During his studies, he has conducted Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra (Russia), Dartington Festival Orchestra (UK), MÁV Symphony Orchestra (Hungary), Kuopio City Orchestra, Vaasa City Orchestra, Representative orchestra of the President of Finland, Polytechnic Orchestra, NYKY Ensemble and all the Finnish military orchestras. In recent years, he has also performed new Finnish music for brass with his ensemble Helsinki Symphonic Brass.
