The Minnesota Orchestra has announced that Osmo Vänskä will become its Conductor Laureate from September 2022. Having served as Music Director of the orchestra for 19 seasons, he joins Emil Oberhoffer and Stanislaw Skrowaczewski as the longest-tenured music directors in the institution’s history. This new role recognises Vänskä’s deep and far-reaching impact on the Minnesota Orchestra and celebrates a firm musical friendship which will continue to be sustained with annual conducting visits.

Vänskä’s final concert programmes as Music Director will include the world premiere of the late Jaakko Kuusisto’s Symphony during 2 – 4 June, 2022; followed by Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 during 10 – 12 June 2022 which will be recorded for BIS as part of Minnesota Orchestra’s award-winning Mahler cycle.