Christian Kluxen, Conductor
Pacific Symphony welcomes the Scandinavian maestro Christian Kluxon for his debut appearance (Oct. 19-21) leading the orchestra in a concert titled Sibelius’ Violin Concerto with Esther Yoo as soloist. The program also holds Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony and opens with Lili Boulanger’s brief poignant work, D’un soir triste.
Now in his seventh season as Music Director of the Victoria Symphony in Canada, Christian Kluxen is also in his first season as Principal Guest Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland, following a five-year tenure as Chief Conductor of the Arctic Philharmonic in Norway.
Kluxen has been described in the press as “a dynamic, charismatic figure” who “forms the music with an impressive vertical power of emotion and a focus on the grand form,” conducting “with exemplary clarity and a heavenly warmth.” He is recognized for his sincere and transparent leadership, innovative programming, and his bold, imaginative and energetic interpretations, showcased both in his work as a Music Director and guest conductor.
Alongside his many and varied commitments with the Victoria Symphony and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, recent and forthcoming guest engagements include Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Odense Symphony, and Norrköping Symphony. A fruitful and inspiring relationship with the Arctic Philharmonic, whom Kluxen led for five years as Chief Conductor, resulted in numerous exhilarating performances of a wide variety of repertoire, as well as several acclaimed recordings.
Born in Copenhagen in 1981 to Danish-German parents, Kluxen feels a natural affinity towards the Germanic and Scandinavian repertoire, particularly the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Richard Strauss, Nielsen and Sibelius. In 2020, he released a recording of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto on the Simax label, featuring violinist Henning Kraggerud and the Arctic Philharmonic. The disc was praised for its “surprisingly beautiful orchestra sound,” “kept in a slim, sober expression with a punch to it” and labeled as “almost too perfect” by the biggest Danish newspaper Politiken.
During the 2014-15 season, Kluxen held the Dudamel Fellowship with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, acting as assistant conductor to Gustavo Dudamel and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Prior to this appointment, between 2010 and 2013, he was Assistant Conductor at the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as well as a member of the “Dirigentenforum” of the German Music Council.
Kluxen has worked with major orchestras throughout the world, such as the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Malmö Symphony, Iceland Symphony, Trondheim Symphony, Strasbourg Philharmonic, Netherlands Philharmonic, L’Orchestra dell’Arena di Verona, in Australasia with the Auckland Philharmonia and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and in the United States with the Oregon Symphony.
In his home country, Kluxen enjoys close relationships with several orchestras, including the Copenhagen Philharmonic and Odense Symphony, and in May 2019 he stepped in at short notice for concerts with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, replacing Yuri Temirkanov in concerts broadcast live on Danish National Radio.
Kluxen’s concerts have been broadcast live in Denmark, the UK, Sweden, Norway, and Canada. His most recent albums with the Arctic Philharmonic are Lasse Thoresen’s The Sound of the Arctic, which has garnered outstanding praise, including five stars from Politiken, and Eldbjørg Hemsing’s concept album Arctic, recipient of Germany’s Opus Klassik. He has received several prestigious awards and prizes, and in 2016 he was nominated by the International Opera Awards as “Young Conductor of the Year.”
Kluxon has a unique affinity for the music of Sibelius, making him an ideal interpreter to evoke the rich, atmospheric soundscapes of the composer’s music. In this YouTube video, you can experience Kluxon conducting the final symphony of Sibelius.