Mikael Loponen

Mikael Loponen (b. 2003) is a promise of the future, whose musicality and sense of style come across confidently from the podium.

Mikael began his orchestral conducting studies in 2018 under Jorma Panula. Currently he is studying orchestral conducting at the Sibelius Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Finland under Professor Sakari Oramo. His teachers at the master classes have included Johannes Schlaefli, Dima Slobodeniouk and Antony Hermus. Mikael has already conducted several orchestras in Finland and abroad (Sonderjyllands symfoniorkester, Joensuu City Orchestra, Jyväskylä Sinfonia, chamber music festival of the National Opera, etc.). In the summer of 2023, he was also assistant conductor to Sakari Oramo at the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

Mikael is also a talented pianist. He won the 1st prize in the 2022 Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition and the 3rd prize in the International Hans von Bülow Piano Competition in May 2023 (in the category "Conducting from the piano"). Mikael participated in the Youth Piano Academy from 2015-2022 and is currently studying piano with Antti Hotti and Henri Sigfridsson.

Mikael was selected as the Young Artist of the Year 2023 at the Joensuu Music Festival.

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

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