This product of Finland's avant-garde clique is recognised as one of the greatest champions of “new” classical music since fellow composer/conductor Pierre Boulez. Salonen's longtime music directorship of the Los Angeles Philharmonic made that institution a hotbed of innovation; judging by their recordings of modern works (like those of Stravinsky and Prokofiev) and contemporary items (like Salonen's own edgy-but-graceful “Gambit, for Orchestra”), it's plain to hear why. His expertly shaped performances have also made Salonen the conductor of choice for top recitalists like Hélène Grimaud.