He is an orchestral conductor born in Taby, Sweden who entered the Royal Stockholm Conservatoire where he studied composition and conducting.
After completing his education he became Chief Conductor of the Sundsvall Chamber Orchestra and a Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.
Travelling outside his home country he has led many of the major European orchestras including The Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and as the Chief Conductor of the Danish Sonderjyllands Symfoniorkester. He currently hold the position of Chief Conductor of the WDR Radio Orhestra based in Cologne, Germany.
Hailed as the “the finest Swedish conductor of his generation”, he is a busy recording artist and has made many recording with several European orchestras using a repertoire that covers contemporary, classical and romantic music. Also noted for conducting opera he has worked with the Swedish and Norwegian National Opera orchestras.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra recordings
Festival Overture (Hugo Emil Alfven)
Naxos 8.553962
Conductor – Niklas Willen
Mountain King, The (Hugo Emil Alfven)
Naxos 8.553962
Conductor – Niklas Willen
Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 (Hugo Emil Alfven)
Naxos 7 30099 47292 0
Conductor – Niklas Willen
Swedish Rhapsody No. 3, (Dalecarlian Rhapsody) (Hugo Emil Alfven)
Conductor – Niklas Willen – NAX 8.553729
Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Opus 7 (Hugo Emil Alfven)
Naxos 8.553962
Conductor – Niklas Willen
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niklas_Will%C3%A9n
- http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/artist_page.asp?name=willen
- http://www.naxos.com/conductorinfo/338.htm