Susanna Mälkki (1969) is a Finnish conductor. She trained as a cellist before studying direction with Jorma Panula, Eri klas and Leif Segerstam at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. She also studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1995 Mälkki became first cellist at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; in 1998 she decided to focus exclusively on conducting and joined the Sibelius Academy Conductor’s Workshop in Carnegie Hall, supervised by Esa-Pekka Salonen. From 2002 until 2005 she was principal conductor of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. In 2004 she had her first performance with the Ensemble InterContemporain at the Festival of Luzern; since 2006 she has been principal conductor of this ensemble - this will be her last season. Mälkki is a specialist of contemporary repertoire, but is also acclaimed for her versatility. She directs ensembles and orchestras all over the world, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As well as concerts she has also conducted many operas, including Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier and L'Amour de loin by Kaija Saariaho at the Finnish National Opera. Next season she will take on the musical direction of two productions at the Opéra National de Paris. Conducting Luca Francesconi’s Quartett in 2011, she made her debut at La Scala in Milan. She was the first woman conductor in the history of this famous opera house, where she will return in 2014. In 2010 Mälkki was elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is also a member of the Royal Swedish Music Academy. In 2011 she received the prestigious Pro Finlandia Medal in the Order of the Lion of Finland.