Seppo Murto, Author at The IFCM Magazine

Seppo Murto

Director musices Seppo Murto (b. 1955) is one of the most prominent Finnish organists and choir leaders. In 1980 he received his diploma in organ, and in 1983 in choral conducting. Seppo Murto started as Dominante's artistic director in 1981. In addition, he has worked as the artistic director for the mixed choirs Suomen Laulu (1984-1988), Akateeminen Laulu (1994-2000), Viva Vox (since 1995), Murtosointu (since 2003), and Chorus Cathedralis Aboensis (2006-2008). Seppo Murto has given many seminars and workshops in choral conducting around the world, including at the Nordklang and Europa Cantata festivals. He has made numerous recordings with his choirs; two of them were nominated as "Choral music record of the year". Murto has also conducted major works of Bach, Haydn, and Mozart with leading Finnish symphony orchestras. He has been the organist of Helsinki Cathedral since 1985 and he teaches Choral conducting at the Sibelius Academy, the leading institute of music education in Finland. He has given organ recitals in Finland and abroad, including the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Estonia and Germany. With his choirs he has visited every continent except Antarctica. The Finnish Choral Conductors Association nominated Seppo Murto as choral conductor of the year in 2001 and the Finnish Church Musicians Association named him church musician of the year in 2013. He was the first president of the Finnish Choral Conductors Association and the first artistic leader of the "Choral Espoo" festival.

Studying Choral Conducting around the globe: Europe, Finland

By: Seppo Murto

On: January 1, 2015

In: Focus

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Seppo Murto, organist, choral director and teacher
Edited by Grace Kim, USA

Finland has a venerable tradition of choir conductor training. A basic course has been included in teacher seminaries and church music training p…Read More →