(Credit: © Photo by Anna Flegontova)

On Oct. 9, Finnish conductor Leif Selim Segerstam died at the age of 80.

The conductor, composer, violinist, violist, and pianist was known for having composed 371 symphonies, among many other works.

Born on March 2, 1944, Segerstam was part of a musical family whose parents were Selim Segerstam and Viola Maria Kronqvist. In 1947 the family moved to Helsinki and started playing music in school learning the violin and the viola.

In 1962, he made his debut as a soloist on the violin and in 1963 he made his conducting debut in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” in Tampere. He was then hired by the Finnish National Opera and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

He went on to receive his diploma in conducting in 1963 from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He went on to study in Juilliard where he graduated in 1965.

Following his studies he went on to become the conductor and Artistic Director of Stockholm’s Royal Opera. In 1970, Segerstam began working with the German Opera in Berlin as well as the Finnish National Opera. The conductor also served as chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from 1995 to 2007 and later became the Chief Conductor Emeritus.

Segerstam also held the position of chief conductor at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland until 2000 as well as positions with the Danish National Radio Symphony and the Austrian Radio Symphony.

Throughout his career, the conductor would guest with the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. He also made appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera Houses, Teatro Colon, Bayerische Staatsoper, and the Salzburg Festival

Eventually, Segerstam became a professor at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and taught such well-known musicians as Susanna Mälkki, Mikk Murdvee, and Sasha Mäkilä.

Segerstam not only had a successful career as a conductor, he also composed numerous pieces including the aforementioned 371 symphonies which have been widely performed. He also composed concerts for piano, viola, cello, and violin and many string quartets.

For his contributions to music, he was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, the Nordic Council Music Prize, and the Sibelius Medal, among many others.

Segertam left many recordings behind including the complete symphonies of Sibelius and Rautavaara. He also recorded many of his symphonies.  

Regarding the death of Segerstam, Crescendi Artists said, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the esteemed Finnish musician, conductor, and prolific composer Mastro Leif Segerstam on October 9, 2024, at the age of 80. Leif Segerstam was a cherished roster member of our Crescendi Artists family, and his loss will be felt profoundly within the world of classical music and beyond.”