Filipino-Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski picks up the baton as the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s brand-new music director starting the 2025/26 season, taking over from Dutch maestro Jaap van Zweden as he steps down from his twelve-year position. With a star-studded lineup of international debuts and accolades under his belt, 24-year-old Peltokoski is now making Hong Kong history as the youngest recipient of the Philharmonic’s directorship. From his favourite composers to his love for improvising at the piano, here are five things to know about the rising star.
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He’s taken on the international scene with a stunning roster of debuts
A year after his orchestral debut in Finland, Peltokoski made his first appearance in Germany with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen at only 21 years old. His initial rapport with the orchestra soon led to many more joint appearances, and the young talent was ultimately bestowed with the title of the Kammerphilharmonie’s first-ever Principal Guest Conductor. Meanwhile, June 2023 marked the Finn’s debut with our very own Hong Kong Philharmonic, impressively taking on Shostakovich’s Tenth alongside the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and the apt ‘Finlandia’. He’s been going global, making appearances in Washington and Toulouse, and recently made his album debut with recordings of three Mozart symphonies.
He’s an accomplished pianist
Peltokoski started learning piano at eight years old and studied under Antti Hotti at the Sibelius Academy in Finland; he’s gone on to win awards at multiple competitions and perform concertos with major Finnish orchestras. Large-scale works aside, he enjoys chamber music, which presents a more tight-knit dynamic between players. He even performs his own arrangements and compositions, including the sprightly etude ‘Neoclassical Impression’ for solo piano, fusing his flair for jazz with modernist and Romantic tendencies. Meanwhile, his rendition of Sibelius’ ‘Finlandia’ dramatically captures the essence of the tone poem, despite being for two hands.
He’s an improviser
The digital edition of Peltokoski’s Deutsche Grammophon debut album treats listeners to three bonus tracks: piano improvisations on Mozart’s Symphonies no. 35, 36 and 40. His take on the famed latter exhibits a film-like quality, playfully flitting through keys and moods, whilst repeatedly reworking Mozart’s opening motif. If that wasn’t exciting enough, his improvisation on the ‘Linz’ symphony opens with fiery Baroque elements, strikingly transitioning into a series of jazzy rhythms, chromatic harmonies and free embellishments.
These are his favourite composers
Composers of the great symphonic tradition appeal massively to Peltokoski: he loves Wagner, even completing his very first Ring Cycle – an epic music drama typically performed over days – at the age of 22. His programmes have also featured Mahler symphonies, the Fifth having just been performed with the HK Phil last week, and much Strauss, covering the ‘Rosenkavalier-Suite’ and the Symphonic Fantasy from ‘Die Frau ohne Schatten’. On top of that, Peltokoski is determined to give underplayed composers the exposure they deserve – think Schnittke, Vaughan Williams and Vasks.
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He’s performed with a whole host of famed soloists
Joining forces with both orchestras and soloists, Peltokoski’s conducting ventures have led him to collaborations with stars such as Julia Fischer, Leonidas Kavakos and Matthias Goerne; he’s set to throw open the new HK Phil season in September alongside violinist Daniel Lozakovich with the stunning Sibelius Violin Concerto. As pianist, Peltokoski has shared the stage with famed artists: his ‘Hungarian Dance no. 5’ duet with keyboard royalty Yuja Wang went viral on YouTube, and they’ve played encores together on multiple occasions.
Editor
Wing Hei WooCredit
Lead image: @hkphilharmonic via Instagram