The Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn (WKO) has selected Risto Joost, an Estonian conductor, as its fourth music director and chief conductor starting from the 2024/25 season. Joost was chosen by WKO's board of trustees, artistic director, and orchestra board to succeed Case Scaglione, an American conductor who held the position for six seasons.
Joost has previously collaborated with WKO on various concert projects, including a recent guest performance in July 2022 at the Festival of European Church Music in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, where they performed works by Pēteris Vasks.
"We are delighted to have found Risto Joost as a conductor, who already has an impressive international career," said Rainer Neumann, WKO director, in the press release. "This demonstrates the artistic competence, reputation, and likable personality of WKO. He is the ideal candidate for this significant role."
Born in Tallinn, Estonia, in 1980, Joost studied conducting, choir direction, and singing at the Estonian Academy of Music and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. In 2008, he completed his studies at the Royal College of Music Stockholm under the guidance of Jorma Panula.
In 1999, Joost founded the chamber choir Voces Musicales (now known as Voces Tallinn) in Estonia. In 2017, he was appointed as the artistic director of the Birgitta Opera Festival Tallinn.
Throughout his career, Joost has guest-conducted numerous orchestras, including the Helsinki Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Bavarian State Orchestra, Dortmund Philharmonic, Prague Radio Symphony, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and Estonian National Symphony, among others.
As a choral conductor, he has collaborated with the RIAS Chamber Choir, SWR Vokalensemble, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Swedish Radio Choir, and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. From 2015 to 2019, he served as the artistic director of the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir.
Since the 2020/21 season, Joost has held the position of artistic director at the Theater Vanemuine, a traditional three-genre theater in Tartu, the second largest city in Estonia.
"With his artistic direction, we are confident that the WKO will continue to strengthen its position as a leading chamber orchestra," said Tomás Bayón, chairman of the WKO Foundation Council. "Risto Joost is well-known and highly esteemed by the musicians and the professional world, which makes him an excellent choice for us."
Chairman of the orchestra board, Konstanze Felber-Faur, added, "A harmonious musical relationship between the conductor and the orchestra can only develop when the orchestra becomes the conductor's instrument, expressing their ideal sound on stage. We have already established this relationship with Risto Joost as a guest conductor, and we look forward to deepening it and collaborating further."
Heilbronn's cultural mayor, Agnes Christner, expressed her pleasure and gratitude regarding the appointment, stating, "With Risto Joost, a versatile musical personality is coming to Heilbronn, who brings immense management experience with renowned ensembles. The long-standing artistic connection between him and the WKO will undoubtedly inspire the Heilbronn audience."
