Conductor Osmo Vänskä has been the longtime music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, with a vigorous conducting career in Europe and Asia as well. He excels in the music of Sibelius and other Scandinavian composers, but also Beethoven, Mahler, and other continental European music. In 1986, Vänskä made his recording debut, backing clarinetist Karl Leister on composer Bernhard Crusell's three clarinet concertos. Vänskä is known for his advocacy of Finnish music, particularly from the 20th century. His recording work in the 2010s centered on a new cycle of Sibelius symphonies with the Minnesota Orchestra; the year 2016 saw the beginning of a new cycle devoted to Mahler; that cycle continued with the Symphony No. 9 in D minor in 2023. That year, Vänskä concluded his tenure with the Minnesota Orchestra but stayed on as conductor laureate. He also conducted the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra from 2019 to 2022.