Picture: Heikki Tuuli

“Slobodeniouk has a gift of handling the orchestra in a gentle but very definite way, giving players [of the Helsinki Philharmonic] the space to make music.” Helsinginen Sanomat

Dmitri Slobodeniouk combines his native Russian roots with his years of musical study in Finland, where he now makes his home. Drawing together the powerful musical strengths of these countries has placed Slobodeniouk as one of today’s younger generation of deeply informed and intelligent artistic leaders on the podium.

Dmitri Slobodeniouk Moscow born, studied violin at the Central Music School under Zinaida Gilels and J. Chugajev between 1980-1989. He continued his studies at the Conservatory’s Music Institute, Moscow in 1989 and at the Middle Finland’s Conservatory and the Sibelius Academy. In 1994 Slobodeniouk had also started his conductor studies participating in the class of Atso Almila between the years 1996-1998. Then up until 2001 he continued his studies at the Sibelius Academy under the guidance of Leif Segerstam, Jorma Panula and Atso Almila. He has also studied under Ilja Musinin and Esa-Pekka Salonen. In 2001 Slobodeniouk graduated from the Sibelius Academy with a conductor diploma with the highest possible credits.

An appointment immediately followed as Principal Conductor of the Oulu Symphony, a position which he holds until Autumn 2008. With the Symphony he conducts both a season of concerts and also opera productions including most recently Les Contes d’Hoffman, Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin in Jyväskylä. His final performances as Principal Conductor will be Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice. A guest of the Royal Opera in Stockholm he last conducted Prokofiev’s “The Fiery Angel”.

Dmitri Slobodeniouk is now a regular guest with all the Finnish orchestras including the Helsinki Philharmonic and Finnish Radio Symphony. In Spring 2008 he conducted both orchestras, the latter in subscription and also to conduct the world premiere of Uljas Pulkkis’s oratorio ”Neito”, for soloists and male chorus. He conducted the Norwegian Radio Symphony, Oslo, and during the 2008/09 season he goes on to conduct the Estonian National Symphony, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Tapiola Sinfonietta and Turku Philharmonic orchestras.

Slobodeniouk is becoming widely appreciated for his collaborations with peer composers. As Artistic Director of the biennial Korsholm Music Festival he featured the work of Sebastian Fagerlund for the 2007 festival. Works of this composer are featured on a recording conducted by Slobodeniouk on the BIS label with the Gothenberg Orchestra in Spring 2008. Slobodeniouk also conducts a further recording project for the Da Capo label of the works of Danish composer Vagn Homboe with the Norrkoping Orchestra. Slobodeniouk has led Avanti! chamber orchestra in numerous performances including the 2007 Music Nova festival focussing on the work of the young rising Finnish composer, Perttu Haapanen.

On a quest to balance his work with refreshing outlets, in September 2007 the 9 piece “Siorcas” Chamber Orchestra performed its’ first concert. Led by Slobodeniouk on violin and folk musician Petri Keinonen they join with colleagues to perform the folk music inspired by Irish musical culture. Their performance is enhanced with photographic media. He also holds a pilot’s licence, for which he has clocked up an impressive number of solo hours’ flying.