Gala Concert of the Jorma Panula International Conducting Masterclass

Jorma Panula is one of the most renowned conductors of our time. Although during his active career he served for decades as music director of major orchestras, his fame is due above all to his outstanding pedagogical work. The art of conducting fundamentally differs from instrumental performance, since the artistic result is realized through the collaboration of other musicians.

A few decades ago, Panula was often referred to worldwide as “the miracle of conductor training,” after a remarkable number of his students went on to achieve international fame, including Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sakari Oramo, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste. Beginning in 1973, he taught future conductors at the music academies of three capitals — Helsinki, Stockholm, and Copenhagen — while also leading masterclasses around the world.

At the initiative of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra, an international masterclass is also held in Budapest, where participants have the opportunity to conduct the orchestra themselves. The success of the program is reflected in the fact that this year marks the 12th edition of the event, whose closing gala concert features the students of the course appearing on the podium as conductors.