Conductor Teemu Hämäläinen began his musical career as a violinist. His collaboration with jazz virtuoso Juhani Aaltonen led Hämäläinen to conduct and lead professional orchestras. After beginning his studies in orchestral conducting under Professor Jorma Panula and mentoring with American conductor John Nelson, Hämäläinen embarked on a career as a professional conductor.

In addition to the standard classical repertoire, Hämäläinen has conducted operas, musicals, and premieres of new orchestral works, and has collaborated on crossover projects with pop kantele player Ida Elina and the aforementioned jazz virtuoso Aaltonen, among others. Hämäläinen has recorded the Carmina Sacra album with Aaltonen, which combines Aaltonen’s jazz-influenced improvisations with Hämäläinen’s string orchestra.

In early 2026, Sinfonietta Fortis, conducted by Teemu Hämäläinen, and soprano Helena Juntunen will release a recording of Finnish and Swedish orchestral songs. A significant portion of the vocal arrangements on the recording are by Hämäläinen. Orchestral arrangements are an important part of his artistic persona. In addition to individual songs, he has arranged larger song cycles such as Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, Brahms’ Vier ernste Gesänge, and Grieg’s Six Songs, Op. 48.

Teemu Hämäläinen is the artistic director and principal conductor of the Sinfonietta Fortis orchestra. Hämäläinen has guest conducted Finnish professional orchestras such as the Tapiola Sinfonietta and the city orchestras of Joensuu, Mikkeli, and Lohja. Outside Finland, Hämäläinen has conducted orchestras in China and the Czech Republic, among other countries. Hämäläinen is particularly well known for his collaboration with singers. He has worked with some of Finland’s most internationally renowned singers, including sopranos Helena Juntunen, Johanna Rusanen, and Mari Palo, tenor Tuomas Katajala, baritone Tommi Hakala, and basses Jaakko Ryhänen and Esa Ruuttunen.