Hannu Lintu aims to include more S'pore works in SSO shows

The orchestra's incoming music director is familiarising himself with the sounds of contemporary Singapore

- Shawn Hoo

Even before he officially takes over as music director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in July 2026, Finnish maestro Hannu Lintu has assigned himself homework – to familiarise himself with the sounds of contemporary Singapore.

"What I'm doing now is trying to understand what kind of composers you have in Singapore," says Lintu, who was in town in February for talks with the SSO about programming for the 2026/2027 season. He is leaving empty slots in the programme to fill with Singapore works that resonate.

The 57-year-old is aided by the orchestra's first Singaporean head of artistic planning Christopher Cheong, 35, who will take up the position at the end of 2025. Cheong, a former lawyer who founded Orchestra of the Music Makers (OMM) in 2008, became the SSO's deputy head of artistic planning in January.

He says what he has sent the maestro is confidential, but adds that Lintu has expressed interest in speaking with local composers every time he visits Singapore.

Under the duo's artistic direction, classical music lovers can look forward to more engagement with contemporary and Singapore compositions in the SSO's programme over the next few years.

From 2013 to 2021, Lintu was chief conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he channelled much energy into commissioning and performing new works by Finnish composers. He says: "I'm also interested in making Singapore some kind of hub for Asian contemporary music."