Erkki Korhonen
Encyclopedia
Erkki Korhonen is a Finnish pianist
, conductor
and former director of the Finnish National Opera
.
He graduated from the Sibelius Academy
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
.
Becoming a lecturer at the renowned Sibelius Academy
, from 1989–1997, 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.
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
and the Medals of the cities Hämeenlinna
and Helsinki
.
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.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and former director of the Finnish National Opera
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
.
He graduated from the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
in 1983. Continuing his studies in piano, vocal accompaniment and conducting with such names as György Sebök, Dimitri Bashkirov, Tamas Vásáry
Tamás Vásáry
Tamás Vásáry is a celebrated Hungarian concert pianist.- Biography and career :Vásáry made his debut at the age of 8, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto in D major, K.107 in the city of his birth, where he gave a solo recital the following year. He then began to concertize regularly as a child...
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
Zurich Opera
Oper Zürich is an opera company based in Zurich, Switzerland. The company gives performances in the Opernhaus Zürich which has been the company’s home for fifty years.-History:...
.
Becoming a lecturer at the renowned Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
, from 1989–1997, Korhonen taught at numerous conservatories throughout Finland as well as coached for more than twenty years at the Finnish National Opera
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
, the Savonlina Opera Festival, the Zurich Opera
Zurich Opera
Oper Zürich is an opera company based in Zurich, Switzerland. The company gives performances in the Opernhaus Zürich which has been the company’s home for fifty years.-History:...
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
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
until 2007.
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
Sibelius Society of Finland
The Sibelius Society of Finland 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 opened the composer's house Ainola as a museum in 1974....
and the Medals of the cities Hämeenlinna
Hämeenlinna
Hämeenlinna is a city and municipality of about inhabitants in the heart of the historical province of Häme in the south of Finland and is the birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius. Today, it belongs to the region of Tavastia Proper, and until 2010 it was the residence city for the Governor of the...
and Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.
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
Ernst Haefliger
Ernst Haefliger was a Swiss tenor.Haefliger was born in Davos, Switzerland and studied at the Zürich Conservatory. He studied with Fernando Capri in Geneva and Julius Patzak in Vienna....
singing competition.