Death of Finnish conductor Leif Segerstam, the “Jesus of music”

Finnish conductor Leif Segerstam, who led ensembles around the world, wrote more than 370 symphonies and called himself “the Jesus of music”died at the age of 80, Finnish media reported on Wednesday.

He was known for his capricious and energetic conducting, and his long white hair and beard made him look like Santa Claus when he guided the musicians.

Finnish public broadcaster YLE announced his death, citing his son Jan, who said his father had died after a brief illness.

First piece composed at age 6

Leif Segerstam has guest conducted orchestras around the world, including the Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Vienna Radio Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. He also conducted the music for numerous operas.

Born into a family of musicians, this child prodigy learned to read at the age of three, to decipher sheet music at five and to compose his first piece at six. “I’m almost like the Jesus of music”he declared. “In the world of music, I have truths as precious as the teachings of Jesus”.