Conductor Laureate

KOLJONEN graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and has served as principal clarinetist with The American Symphony Orchestra, The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The Korean National Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet, The Colorado Ballet, The Philadelphia Lyric Opera. The D'Oyly Carte (the original Gilbert & Sullivan) Opera, and others. He has been featured with leading chamber music ensembles like the Beaux-Arts, Lennox, and PhilArte (Philadelphia Orchestra) string quartets, and in music festivals at Marlboro, Interlochen, and others.

As a recitalist, he has performed extensively in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Besides teaching and performing, his mandate was to assist selected Asian orchestras to achieve higher standards of woodwind performance, and published in the MUSIC JOURNAL in this regard. As a teacher, Mr. Koljonen has been a faculty member in several U.S.A. schools, including The Philadelphia Academy of Performing Arts. In Asia: Seoul National University, Hong Kong University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

KOLJONEN served as Principal Conductor of the Festival Youth from 2004 to 2006.