Iceland Symphony Orchestra has announced that Osmo Vänskä will assume the position of Principal Guest Conductor of the orchestra starting in the 2014/15 season.

Vänskä is a familiar figure to Icelandic concertgoers. He was Chief Conductor of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra from 1993 to 1996, and conducted the orchestra’s Carnegie Hall debut in 1996. Since 2010 he has conducted the orchestra annually to great acclaim – most recently in Mahler’s Third Symphony at the Reykjavík Arts Festival. He has also recorded with the orchestra for the BIS label.

In February 2015 Vänskä returns to conduct a programme of Bruckner and Sibelius.