IX JORMA PANULA INTERNATIONAL CONDUCTING COMPETITION: 3RD-7TH OF SEPTEMBER 2024

The Jorma Panula Conducting Competition is among the most prestigious conducting competitions in Europe. The first competition was arranged in 1999 and after that every three years. Now the competition is arranged for the ninth time in Vaasa. From the very beginning, conductor, composer, academician Jorma Panula has been the Artistic Director and Chairman of the jury.

This year, the jury consists of Jorma Panula, chairman, conductor Ed Spanjaard (The Netherlands), conductor Maria Badstue (Denmark), conductor Mikko Franck (Finland) and conductor Vytautas Lukočius, (Lithuania). The competition orchestras are the Vaasa City Orchestra and Jyväskylä Sinfonia.

The city of Vaasa is situated on the Finnish west coast in the region of Ostrobothnia. The City Hall´s Grand Hall is the site for the Jorma Panula International Conducting competition for the ninth time. Classical music tradition in Vaasa has a long history. In the city hall has since 1883 been arranged concerts and soarées with composers and conductors such as Armas Järnefelt, Toivo Kuula, Jean Sibelius and many more until today. The Chamber Music Hall in the house still hosts the oldest documented Steinway & Son grand piano in Finland.