Paavo Järvi’s second season as Chief Conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra opens on a high when he conducts Mahler’s Symphony No.8 in celebration of the orchestra’s 90^th Anniversary. They will also perform Mahler to celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of Suntory Hall and embark on a major European tour in spring 2017 with performances in Berlin, Luxembourg, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Vienna and Cologne. This season also sees the continuation of a Richard Strauss focus, with two recordings to be released on Sony Japan. 

As Artistic Director of The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Järvi and the orchestra return to Asia for performances across Taiwan and Japan in autumn 2016. Throughout the season they will continue their critically acclaimed Brahms symphony cycle with performances throughout Germany and Switzerland. The first recording of the Brahms cycle is released on Sony’s, RCA label in spring 2017. Other highlights include the opening of the Kissinger Sommer Festival, as part of the orchestra’s residency which begins in 2017. 

In summer 2016, Paavo Järvi concluded his highly successful tenure as Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris and was simultaneously heralded by the French Critics’ Association as ‘Musical Personality of the Year’.  Highlights of his six year tenure included conducting the opening concerts of the new Paris Philhamonie which were recorded for i-Tunes and immediately became an international bestseller; the Sibelius Medal which was presented to Järvi in recognition of his achievements in championing the Finnish composer’s music in France; and the release of his highly acclaimed recording of music by Dutilleux on the Erato label which received an Echo Klassik Award for contemporary recording. His complete recording of the Sibelius Symphonies with the Orchestre de Paris will be released in 2017 on Sony’s RCA label. 

Guest engagements see the completion of Paavo Järvi’s extensive Nielsen Symphony Cycle with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, return visits to the Wiener Symphoniker, Berlin Staatskapelle and performances with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Budapest Festival Orchestra, and L’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. In spring 2017 Paavo Järvi conducts Don Giovanni at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala as well as orchestral concerts with the La Scala orchestra. He also returns to conduct the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, where he is Conductor Laureate.  

The 2016/17 season concludes with a week of performances in mid-July at the Pärnu Music Festival in Estonia. Founded in 2010 by Paavo Järvi in the charming, sea-side resort 90 km south of Tallinn, the festival offers both conducting master-classes and concerts. As a festival celebrating the orchestra at its heart, Paavo Järvi created a new ensemble which has become the uncontested highlight of the summer season; the Estonian Festival Orchestra brings together leading Estonian musicians with soloists from Europe’s top-ranking orchestras. 

Since the start of his career, Paavo Järvi has prioritised his support of Estonian composers including Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Lepo Sumera and Eduard Tubin. He is Artistic Adviser to the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and was named Estonian Public Broadcasting’s 2012 Musician of the Year. In January 2013, Järvi was awarded the Order of the White Star by the President of Estonia for his outstanding contribution to Estonian Culture. He has won two Grammies: for his recording of Sibelius’ Cantatas with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir and Ellerhein Girls Choir; and for Grieg's Peer Gynt, with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.   

With an extensive discography, Paavo Järvi’s latest releases are the complete Nielsen Symphonies with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony on Sony Japan and Elgar and Walton’s Cello Concertos with Steven Isserlis and the Philharmonia Orchestra on Hyperion. He was named Artist of the Year by both Gramophone (UK) and Diapason (France) in autumn 2015.