Paavo Järvi

Paavo Järvi (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈpɑːʋo ˈjærʋi]; born 30 December 1962) is an Estonian and American conductor. He currently serves as chief conductor and music director of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and as founder and artistic director of the Estonian Festival Orchestra. In March 2026 he was announced as the next chief conductor and artistic advisor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra from the 2028/29 season.

Järvi was born in Tallinn on 30 December 1962, Estonia to Liilia Järvi and the Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi. His siblings, Kristjan Järvi and Maarika Järvi, are also musicians. After leaving Estonia in 1980, the family settled in the United States. Järvi studied privately with Leonid Grin in Philadelphia, at the Curtis Institute of Music with Max Rudolf and Otto-Werner Mueller, and at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute with Leonard Bernstein.

From 1994 to 1997, Järvi was principal conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. From 1995 to 1998, he shared the title of principal guest conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra with Andrew Davis. From 2001 to 2011 he was music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and subsequently named music director laureate.

Since 2004, Järvi has been the artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and an artistic advisor to the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.