Developing the Next Generation of Leaders in Classical Music
LEAD! Foundation’s mission is to support the emerging careers of the next generation of young conductors and aspiring orchestra principals. We take a holistic view, concentrating not only on the technical and musical aspects of the profession, but also on providing active mentoring and frank advice on the classical music industry. We are convinced that well-prepared and informed artists will be able to manage their careers with greater success, and navigate today’s competitive music world with more confidence, both on-stage and off.
The foundation is directed by leading Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste and provides teaching through the LEAD! Foundation Academy. Based in Finland and active internationally, we are also the founders of the Fiskars Summer Festival, the main platform for our annual conductors’ masterclass, which features renowned guest conductors invited from both Finland and abroad. We also run a mentorship programme for emerging conductors, orchestra leaders, and since 2023, for composers. Through the festival, we arrange career workshops, seminars and discussions on musical leadership and other industry-related topics, as well as chamber- and orchestral concerts. A sister event on a smaller scale, the Fiskars Easter Sessions, is arranged biannually.
COMING UP
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AUTUMN GREETINGS
Fiskars Summer Festival 2024 was perhaps our most intense and varied yet. With three chamber music concerts featuring our young leaders, three orchestra concerts with our young conductors and their mentors, and daily seminars and workshops, it was a full week for everyone who took part. This year's festival saw Magnus Lindberg return to lead a workshop for four young composers, while Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Eva Ollikainen led the masterclass for young conductors.
With the summer festival well behind us, we now look forward to autumn.
The Fiskars Group marks its 375th anniversary this year, and we are proud to be part of the celebration next month. The company has supported LEAD! and the Fiskars Summer Festival since its first year and remains one of our principal sponsors, notably of the Fiskars Festival Orchestra. We're looking forward to continuing the collaboration in the beautiful village of Fiskars with a partner whose values we share.
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FISKARS GROUP 375th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
31 October 2024
In 2024, Fiskars Group marks 375 years.
One of Finland’s leading design companies, the Group is also a long-term supporter of the Fiskars Festival Orchestra, and together with Fiskars Village, it hosts LEAD! Foundation’s Fiskars Summer Festival annually.
An international festival with its home base in Fiskars, the summer event has organised training and mentorship for young conductors, orchestra leaders and composers since 2020, as well as offering an outstanding festival programme featuring leading artists to the general public.
Now 5 years into its collaboration with Fiskars Group, LEAD! Foundation is proud to take part in its festivities on 31 October 2024, in a concert featuring a selection of its young players and the festival’s Artistic Director, Jukka-Pekka Saraste. LEAD! is delighted to continue its partnership with the Fiskars Group in developing the festival and the musical legacy of the
Village in the years to come. -
FISKARS SUMMER FESTIVAL
25 July - 3 August 2024
Fiskars Summer Festival celebrates its 5th anniversary this year!
We will be running our LEAD! Foundation Academy masterclass and mentoring for young conductors, led by Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Eva Ollikainen, as well as our mentorship programmes for talented young instrumentalists, led by our mentors Sophie Heinrich, Tero Latvala, Alexander Gordon, Tuomas Lehto, Niamh McKenna and Christoffer Sundqvist. We will be offering mentorship also to young composers, in a programme led by Magnus Lindberg.
Concerts take place in various venues around Fiskars, and the final concert will be held in Billnäs Iso paja on 3 August 2024, with special guest, Boris Giltburg.