Mark Gresham | 2 DEC 2025
When Pietari Inkinen steps onto the podium at Symphony Hall this week for his Atlanta Symphony Orchestra debut, he brings with him a musical outlook shaped by both Nordic clarity and global experience. The Finnish conductor—known for his Sibelius recordings with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and his recent work as chief conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie—leads a program pairing Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 with Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto, performed by longtime collaborator Sergey Khachatryan.
It’s a combination, Inkinen says, that reveals not only stark contrasts in musical language but also the expressive breadth that keeps him returning to this repertoire. In this conversation with EarRelevant’s publisher, Mark Gresham, he reflected on the program’s significance, the influence of his years as a violinist, and what he’s learned from a decade of major recording projects and international touring.
Mark Gresham: For your upcoming debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra this week, what special meaning does this program hold for you? Are there particular challenges or rewards in blending Sibelius with Khachaturian in the same concert?
Pietari Inkinen: Sibelius has an indispensable place in my concert programmes. During my time with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, I recorded all of the Sibelius symphonies, and this music really feels like home to me. Especially in Sibelius, it is important for me to find a pure expression without over-interpreting, with finesse, a pure and clear sound, and very transparent orchestral playing. That is always at the centre of my work with his music, no matter which orchestra I’m standing in front of. With every orchestra, I try to help them find the language of each composer – Shostakovich should not sound like Brahms, the Alpine Symphony should reflect the rapid changes of the Alps.
Putting composers with very different musical languages on the same programme is one way to make that audible in a single evening and to broaden the repertoire beyond what audiences already know. So pairing Sibelius with the contrasting sound world of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto is something that really makes sense to me and generates a clear, immediate contrast that helps the audience hear how differently these composers speak. Also, while Sibelius can be considered my calling card, my old friend and incredible violinist Sergey Khachatryan will perform one of his signature pieces, the Violin Concerto by the most important composer of Sergey’s home country, Armenia – Aram Khachaturian. Also, for that reason, it feels like a good match for this programme.
MG: You trained at the Sibelius Academy in both violin and conducting, and earlier studied violin with Zakhar Bron. How has your experience as a performing violinist shaped your conducting style and your relationship to orchestral repertoire?
PI: I actually began conducting very young, at the Sibelius Academy, while also studying the violin. Later, I studied with Zakhar Bron in Germany, and also had a career as a violinist. For a long time, I tried to keep both paths open, but at a certain point I had to decide—and conducting offered a repertoire so vast that once I had a taste for it, there was no turning back.
This background has shaped me enormously. I’ve always been inside the orchestra as a musician, so I think very much in terms of sound, balance, and articulation—especially in the strings. My teachers in Finland, particularly at the Sibelius Academy, placed great value on clarity: show as much as possible with gesture, speak only when necessary, help the musicians, and never disturb them. That directness suits me. I look for transparency, finesse, and a clean sound, and I trust the players to bring their own musicianship into the process.
MG: During your tenure with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, you led ambitious recording projects, including Dvořák and Prokofiev symphony cycles. What motivates your programming choices, and how do you balance between familiar masterworks and less frequently performed works?
PI: The orchestral music of the late Romantic and early 20th-century period is where I feel most at home, but I want my programmes to reflect a much broader landscape. In general, if I choose to record something, it is because the orchestra has something special to say about that repertoire. And when programming, I always try to offer a balance between beloved masterworks and works that expand the musical horizon.
MG: This season marks your farewell as Chief Conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, after a long and fruitful collaboration. How do you reflect on your time there, and what were the defining musical moments or achievements for you?
PI: These eight years with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie were very meaningful to me. We explored a wide range of repertoire together, but a few threads became central to our journey: Sibelius, of course; Dvořák; and Bruckner, a composer who has always been an important part of the orchestra’s history.
Alongside our recording projects, the tours and the opportunity to perform in great halls around the world were particularly significant. Our two tours to Korea stand out for me: the audiences there bring remarkable focus and warmth, and the orchestra responded with performances of great intensity. Concerts in major European venues added another dimension, giving us the chance to show what this orchestra can do on the international stage.
I also value the sense that we truly grew together. I said farewell with deep gratitude for the trust, the curiosity and the musical discoveries we shared over these years.
MG: There is a documentary about you titled Ein Taktstock und ein Reisepass (“A baton and a passport”). What was it like to have your artistic journey portrayed on film, and did the process of being documented change how you think about your career or your identity as an artist?
PI: The film follows a period of my life that was defined by travel, new collaborations and major projects – above all the long path to the Bayreuth Ring. That experience was one of the great milestones of my career, and the documentary captures both the preparation and the atmosphere around it.
Life as a conductor is, by nature, international: constant travel, new orchestras, new scores, sudden changes, and the intensity of live performance. I believe deeply that music is only truly real in the concert hall, in the shared experience with the musicians and the audience. The film reflects that side of the profession as well—the movement from place to place, the joy, and the unpredictability of this life.
Seeing that journey documented was a reminder of how much happens between the moments the audience sees. It didn’t change my artistic identity, but might have offered a different perspective on the path I’ve been on for many years. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Pietari Inkinen: pietariinkinen.com
- The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: aso.org
Read more by Mark Gresham.
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