Mäkelä studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy with Jorma Panula and cello with Marko Ylönen, Timo Hanhinen and Hannu Kiiski.

On the basis of this appearance, in December 2017, the orchestra announced the appointment of Mäkelä as its next principal guest conductor, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with a contract of three years.

[11] However, Mäkelä assumed the role of music director in September 2021, one year earlier than originally planned.

Following several additional guest-conducting appearances, in June 2022, the RCO announced the appointment of Mäkelä as an artistic partner for the period of 2022–2027, and subsequently as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years.

In April 2024, the CSO announced the appointment of Mäkelä as its next music director, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years.

[20] In June 2024, Mäkelä was named "Conductor of the Year" at the 2024 OPUS Klassik Awards for his 2023 recording with the Orchestre de Paris of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and The Firebird.