A versatile musician, Finnish conductor Teemu Honkanen (b.1972) began his cello and piano studies at Palmgren Institute in Pori and continued his cello studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki where he received his cello diploma (A-course) in 1996.
Teemu Honkanen studied in the conducting class at the Sibelius Academy under Atso Almila, Eri Klas, Jorma Panula and Leif Segerstam in 1994-1999. He has participated in many master classes, including the master classes given by Ilja Musin, Myung-Whun Chung and Neeme Järvi. In addition, he studied choir conducting under Matti Hyökki. Teemu Honkanen received his conducting diploma by conducting Sibelius' Kullervo Symphony with Oulu Philharmonic Orchestra in 1999. He received his choir conducting diploma in October 2000. He received both of the conducting diplomas with honors. Honkanen received his double master's in music in 2003 from Sibelius Academy.
Teemu Honkanen begun his national career as a conductor by substituting Jiri Belohlavek in the Helsinki Philharmonic in 1995. Since then he has succesfully conducted most of the Finnish symphony orchestras, among others the Helsinki, Oulu, Lahti, Turku and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestras. He has also conducted at the Mikkeli and Oulu Opera. In spring 2001 Teemu Honkanen received excellent reviews for conducting Einojuhani Rautavaara's chamber opera "Auringontalo" at the Opera of Oulu. In the autumn of 1998 Teemu Honkanen conducted Oslo Sinfonietta at the Ung Nordisk Musik festival and after that he has conducted in Norway for example Forvarets Distriktsmusikkorps Östlandet and Forvarets Distriktsmusikkorps Nord-Norge in Norway. In Sweden Teemu Honkanen has conducted among others the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Stockholm and Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.
As a choir conductor Teemu Honkanen has been artistic director for both S:t Matteus Kör (St. Matthew Choir) and Stockholms Barockkör (Stocholm's Barock Choir) in Sweden and since 2009 for Key Ensemble in Turku.
In the summer of 2002 Teemu Honkanen won a national Choir Conductor Competition at the KuoroEspoo Music Festival. "The general public" in Finland recognizes him for "Seinäjoen tangomarkkinat" - Seinäjoki Tango Festival where he was a conductor between 2002-2006.