Esa-Pekka Salonen - Selected World Premiere Performances

Selected World Premiere Performances

In addition to conducting his own compositions, Salonen has actively championed other composers' music, most notably Anders Hillborg, Magnus Lindberg, Kaija Saariaho, and Steven Stucky. Many noteworthy compositions have even been dedicated to Salonen. Below is a list of some of the world premieres that he has conducted:

John Adams

• "Naïve & Sentimental Music," Los Angeles Philharmonic (February 19, 1999)
• "The Dharma at Big Sur," Tracy Silverman (electric violin), Los Angeles Philharmonic (October 24, 2003)

Louis Andriessen

• "Haags Hakkûh" (The Hague Hacking) – Double Piano Concerto, Katia and Marielle Labèque (pianos), Los Angeles Philharmonic (January 16, 2009)

John Corigliano

• The Red Violin (motion picture score), Joshua Bell (violin), Philharmonia Orchestra

Franco Donatoni

• Esa (in Cauda V), Los Angeles Philharmonic (February 16, 2001)

Anders Hillborg

• Clang and Fury, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
• Celestial mechanics Stockholm Chamber Orchestra (31/10 1986)
• Liquid marble, Orkester Norden, (Tampere 1995)
• Meltdown Variations, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group (1999)
• Dreaming Rivers, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic (1999)
• Piano Concerto (revised version) Roland Pöntinen and the AVANTI! Chamber Orchestra
• Eleven Gates, Los Angeles Philharmonic (May 4, 2006)
• Flood Dreams, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Brussels, 2009)
• Sirens, Anne Sofie von Otter and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (2011)

William Kraft

• The Grand Encounter, English Horn Concerto, Carolyn Hove (English horn), Los Angeles Philharmonic (January 16, 2003)

Peter Lieberson

• Neruda Songs, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (mezzo-soprano), Los Angeles Philharmonic (May 20, 2005), winner: 2008 Grawemeyer Award (Music Composition)

Magnus Lindberg

• Kraft for solo ensemble & orchestra, Finnish Radio Orchestra and the TOIMII-ensemble (September 4, 1985)
• Campana in Aria for horn and orchestra, Hans Dullaert (horn), Radio Filharmonisch Orkest Holland (June 1998)
• Fresco for orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, (1998)
• Cello concerto, Anssi Karttunen (cello), Orchestre de Paris (May 1999)
• Chorale for orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (2002)
• Parada for orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (2002)
• Sculpture for orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, (October 6, 2005)

Larry Lipkis

• "Harlequin" for bass trombone and orchestra, Jeffrey Reynolds (bass trombone), David Weiss (musical saw), Los Angeles Philharmonic (May 23, 1997)

Steven Mackey

• "Deal" for electric guitar and large ensemble, Bill Frisell (guitar), Joey Baron (drums), Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group (April 17, 1995)

Colin Matthews

• Horn Concerto, Richard Watkins (horn), Philharmonia Orchestra (April 2001)

David Newman

• Tales from 1001 Nights with film by Yoshitaka Amano, Los Angeles Philharmonic (April 30, 1998)

Gabriela Ortiz

• Altar de Piedra, concerto for percussion ensemble & orchestra, Kroumata (percussion), Los Angeles Philharmonic, January 2003

Arvo Pärt

• Symphony No. 4, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Philharmonic (January 10, 2009)

Bernard Rands

• Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic (February 24, 1994)

Roger Reynolds

• Symphony (The Stages of Life), Los Angeles Philharmonic (April 29, 1993)

Kaija Saariaho

• Du Cristal, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (September 1990)
• "…a la fumée," Petri Alanko (alto flute) and Anssi Karttunen (cello), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (March 1991)
• Graal Theatre for violin and orchestra, Gidon Kremer (violin), BBC Symphony Orchestra (September 1995)
• Adriana Mater, Orchestra & Choir of the Paris Opera (April 2006)

Rodion Shchedrin

• Piano Concerto No. 5, Olli Mustonen (piano), Los Angeles Philharmonic (October 21, 1999)

Dmitri Shostakovich

• Prologue to Orango (orchestration by Gerard McBurney), Ryan McKinny (Veselchak, bass-baritone), Jordan Bisch (Voice from the Crowd/Bass, bass), Michael Fabiano (Zoologist, tenor), Eugene Brancoveanu (Orango, baritone), Yulia Van Doren (Susanna, soprano), Timur Bekbosunov (Paul Mash, tenor), Los Angeles Master Chorale (Grant Gershon, Music Director), Los Angeles Philharmonic (December 2, 2011)

Roberto Sierra

• "Con madera, metal y cuero" for percussion soloist and orchestra, Evelyn Glennie (percussion), Los Angeles Philharmonic (January 21, 1999)

Steven Stucky

• Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (after Purcell), for wind ensemble (February 1992)
• Concerto for Two Flutes, Anne Diener-Zentner (fka Anne Diener-Giles) and Janet Ferguson (flutes), Los Angeles Philharmonic (Feb 23, 1995)
• Ancora, Los Angeles Philharmonic (October 5, 1995)
• American Muse, Sanford Sylvan (baritone), Los Angeles Philharmonic (October 29, 1999)
• Second Concerto for Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic (March 12, 2004) (Winner: 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Music)
• Radical Light, Los Angeles Philharmonic (October 18, 2007)

Augusta Read Thomas

• Canticle Weaving: Trombone Concerto #2, Ralph Sauer (trombone), Los Angeles Philharmonic (March 29, 2003)

Mark-Anthony Turnage

• From the Wreckage for trumpet and orchestra, Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet), Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (September 5, 2005)
• From All Sides, Chicago Symphony and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (January 25, 2007)