Finn de Siècle

If you thought that Finland's hottest exports are Finlandia vodka and Nokia cell phones, think again. Some of the most coveted positions in the orchestra world are being taken up by Finns. Among them is the conductor Osmo Vänskä, who joins host John Schaefer in advance of his New York debut tonight with the Minnesota Orchestra. This season Vänskä and the Orchestra will begin recording the complete Beethoven symphonies for BIS—no small feat at a time when recording contracts among orchestras are rare. Speaking of debuts, we're also joined by probing young pianist Lars Vogt, who makes his first appearance with the New York Philharmonic this week. Vogt, who is the pianist in residence with the Berlin Philharmonic and has a huge discography on EMI, has enjoyed a growing visibility on U.S. stages.
Additional Resources:
» Lars Vogt's Web site
» Osmo Vänskä at the Minnesota