Jukka-Pekka Saraste

Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste  (born 1956) was chief conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1987 to 2001 and is currently its Conductor of Honour. He was musical director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1994-2001. Jukka-Pekka Saraste is a founding member of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra and founded the Tammisaari Festival. He was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Music in 2000. He is also an honorary doctor of the University of York and a winner of the Sibelius Medal. He served as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 2002-2005. In August 2006 he succeeded André Previn as music director of the Oslo Philharmonic.