Mikko Franck

Franck was born in Helsinki, and began to play the violin at the age of 5. He continued violin studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, beginning in 1992. In 1995, Franck took an opportunity from the Junior Department at the Sibelius Academy, which was celebrating its anniversary, to conduct an orchestra offered to any student who wished to do so. After this occurred, Jorma Panula immediately enlisted him as a private student. Franck entered Panula's conducting class at the Sibelius Academy in the fall of 1996. He has said of Panula:

"He gave me everything that can be taught about this profession. For instance, we used video as an aid in losing my unnecessary mannerisms."

Franck ended his studies there in 1998 without receiving a diploma because his international career had already begun.[1]

Before age 23, Franck had made his conducting début with all of the leading Scandinavian orchestras, as well as with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the Berlin Staatsoper (Berlin State Opera) and the Israel Philharmonic. He received a Grammy nomination for "Best Orchestral Performance" for his first recording, which was of music by Jean Sibelius. He is a particular champion of the works of Einojuhani Rautavaara.

Franck became artistic director of the National Orchestra of Belgium in September 2002, and held the post until 2007. In 2004, Franck was named general music director of the Finnish National Opera and officially took up the post in August 2006. In February 2007, he suddenly announced his resignation from this position, claiming a loss of confidence in the company's then-general director Erkki Korhonen and administrative director Pekka Kauranen.[2] However, in November 2007, the company nominated Franck to the dual post of Artistic Director and General Music Director,[3] and in December 2007, officially named him to both posts.[4] Franck concluded his tenure in both posts as of 31 July 2013.[5] Franck began his tenure as the music director of the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France in September 2015. In September 2020, the orchestra announced the most recent extension of his contract, through 2025.[6]

Franck married the German opera director Martina Pickert in 2006. The couple divorced in 2010.

• Jean Sibelius - Lemminkäinen Suite / En saga; Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Ondine 953; 2000)
• Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 / Einojuhani Rautavaara - Apotheosis; Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Ondine 1002; 2003)
• [Einojuhani Rautavaara]] - The House of the Sun: Oulu Symphony Orchestra; Jukka Romu, Raija Regnell, Ulla Raiskio, Tuomas Katajala, Petri Backstrom, Tommi Hakala, Markus Nieminen, Helena Juntunen, Mia Huhta, Anne-Kristiina Kaappola, singers (Ondine 1032; 2004)
• Einojuhani Rautavaara - Rasputin: Finnish National Opera Orchestra and Finnish National Opera Chorus; Lilli Paasikivi, Jorma Hynninen, Jyrki Anttila, Riikka Rantanen, Ritva-Liisa Korhonen, Jyrki Korhonen, Gabriel Suovanen, Matti Salminen, Lassi Virtanen, singers (Ondine 1002; 2005)
• Einojuhani Rautavaara - Symphony No. 1, Adagio Celeste, Book of Visions; Belgian National Orchestra (Ondine 1064; 2006)

• Article on "Mikko Franck - The beat generation", Norman Lebrecht, The Lebrecht Weekly
• Ondine Records: Mikko Franck

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