This product of Finland's avant-garde clique is recognized 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 its recordings of modern works (like those of Stravinsky and Prokofiev) and contemporary pieces (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.