Mikael Loponen

Mikael Loponen (b. 2003) continues the exceptional success story of Finnish conducting as a future name, whose strong musicality comes across confidently from the podium.

Loponen began his orchestral conducting studies in 2018 under the legendary Jorma Panula, and continues his studies at the Sibelius Academy under Professors Sakari Oramo and Susanna Mälkki. During his studies he has also had lessons from several guest teachers such as Hannu Lintu, Christoph Altstaedt, Johannes Schlaefli, Anthony Hermus and Eva Ollikainen.

As a conductor, Mikael Loponen has worked with several important orchestras in Finland and abroad, such as Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Finnish National opera orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra and Joensuu City Orchestra. He also served as assistant conductor to several conductors, for example Sakari Oramo at the Savonlinna Opera Festival 2023 (Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte", Hannu Lintu with Gulbenkian Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Mikael was selected as a participant in the Nordic Conductors’ Forum (Nordisk Dirigentforum) 2024–25. In 2023 he was Young Artist of the Year at the Joensuu Music Festival in 2023.

Mikael Loponen is also a skilled pianist, keeping up that career besides conducting. He won 1st prize in the Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition 2022 and 3rd prize in the International Hans von Bülow Piano Competition in May 2023 (in the category ”Conducting from the piano”). Loponen studied with the Youth Piano Academy Finland 2015–2022 and is currently studying piano at the Sibelius Academy under the guidance of Antti Hotti.

Apollo Artists represents Mikael as conductor and pianist both in Finland and in Europe.