Elisar Riddelin is a Finnish conductor and composer and the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra Vivo, whose work spans major Nordic orchestras, contemporary premieres, and cross-art collaborations.Riddelin has conducted orchestras in Finland, Sweden and Germany, including the Swedish and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestras, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Rheinland-Pfalz Philharmonia, Hoffer Filharmoniker, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Opera Orchestra, Norrlands Opera Orchestra and Dala Sinfonietta.
In the 2025–26 season, Riddelin will debut with Tapiola Sinfonietta, Kymi Sinfonietta, Sinfonia Lahti and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra among others, and will return to conduct the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.
Riddelin studied in the Sibelius Academy’s renowned conducting class under Sakari Oramo.
As a violin soloist, Riddelin has performed with the Jena Philharmonic, the Mikkeli and Jyväskylä City Orchestras, the Kirkkonummi Chamber Orchestra and the Sibelius Academy Conducting Orchestra, among others. As a guest concertmaster, he has worked with the Finnish Chamber Orchestra and the Lohja, Jyväskylä and Lappeenranta City Orchestras. Riddelin is also a sought-after chamber musician and has performed throughout Europe at festivals in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Sweden.
His violin teachers have included Grigori Zhislin, Jaakko Ilves, Tero Latvala, Juhani Palola, Päivyt Meller and Eszter Haffner.
He has been recipient of many scholarships and awards such as Young Musician of the Year by Pro Musica -foundation and grants from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
Photo Jonne Heinonen