Conductors vie to no avail in contest

The Third International Sibelius Conductors’ Competition in Helsinki, Finland, came to a surprising end this week when the jury declined to name a winner in any of the top three categories.

“The level of the competition was a disappointment,” competition chairman and Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Esa-Pekka Salonen said.

The decision of the eight-member jury, which also included Los Angeles Philharmonic President Deborah Borda, former Philharmonic general director Ernest Fleischman and composer-conductor Oliver Knussen, was unanimous.

The next Sibelius competition will be held in 2010.

-- Chris Pasles