Christian Kluxen

Now in his eighth season as Music Director of the Victoria Symphony in Canada, Christian Kluxen is also in his second season as Principal Guest Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland, following a five-year tenure as Chief Conductor of the Arctic Philharmonic in Norway.

Kluxen has been described in the press as “a dynamic, charismatic figure” (Henley Standard) who “forms the music with an impressive vertical power of emotion and a focus on the grand form” (Norrköpings Tidningar), conducting “with exemplary clarity and a heavenly warmth.” (Berlingske Tidende) He is recognized for his sincere and transparent leadership, innovative programming, and bold, imaginative and energetic interpretations, showcased both in his music directorships and guest work.

Alongside his many and varied commitments with the Victoria Symphony and Turku Philharmonic Orchestras, recent and forthcoming guest engagements include Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, the Pacific Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Prague Radio Symphony, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Odense Symphony, and Norrköping Symphony orchestras, and the Orchestra of Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. A fruitful and inspiring relationship with the Arctic Philharmonic resulted in numerous exhilarating performances of a wide variety of repertoire, as well as several acclaimed recordings.

Born in Copenhagen in 1981 to Danish-German parents, Kluxen feels a natural affinity towards Germanic and Scandinavian repertoire, particularly the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Richard Strauss, Nielsen, and Sibelius. In 2020 he released a recording of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto on the Simax label, featuring violinist Henning Kraggerud and the Arctic Philharmonic. Danish newspaper Politiken praised the disc for its “surprisingly beautiful orchestra sound, “kept in a slim, sober expression with a punch to it”, and labelled it as “almost too perfect”.

During the 2014/15 season Kluxen held the Dudamel Fellowship with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, acting as assistant conductor to Gustavo Dudamel and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Prior to this appointment, between 2010 and 2013, he was Assistant Conductor at the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as well as a member of the ‘Dirigentenforum’ of the German Music Council.

Kluxen has worked with major orchestras throughout the world including the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Malmö Symphony, Iceland Symphony, Trondheim Symphony, Strasbourg Philharmonic, and Netherlands Philharmonic orchestras, L’Orchestra dell’Arena di Verona, in Australasia with the Auckland Philharmonia and Tasmanian Symphony orchestras, and in the US with the Oregon and Pacific Symphonies.

Kluxen enjoys close relationships with several orchestras in his home country, including the Copenhagen Philharmonic and Odense Symphony, and in May 2019 stepped in at short notice for concerts with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, replacing Yuri Temirkanov in concerts broadcast live on Danish National Radio.

On the operatic stage Kluxen has conducted extensive tours of Don Giovanni and Madama Butterfly with the Danish National Opera, followed by his Berlin conducting debut with Die Zauberflöte at Komische Oper. In 2017 he led highly successful performances of Die Fledermaus with Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and Ariadne auf Naxos with Arctic Opera and Philharmonic with soprano Lise Davidsen in the title role. In 2019 his focus was on Bizet’s Carmen, which he led in two full productions; in Denmark at Opera Hedeland and in Norway with Arctic Opera and Philharmonic.

Kluxen’s concerts have been broadcast live in Denmark, the UK, Sweden, Norway, and Canada. His most recent albums with the Arctic Philharmonic are Lasse Thoresen’s The Sound of the Arctic, which has garnered outstanding praise including five stars from Politiken, and Eldbjørg Hemsing’s concept album Arctic, recipient of Germany’s Opus Klassik. He has received several prestigious awards and prizes and in 2016 was nominated by the International Opera Awards as Young Conductor of the Year.

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