Artists
-
Emil Holmström
Newly appointed PianoEspoo Festival's Artistic Director Emil Holmström's heart beats to 19th century grand pianos and today's music in all its diversity. He appears regularly at international festivals and numerous concert series. He has performed as soloist with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lapland Chamber Orchestra and the Tapiola Sinfonietta. Holmström is a member of the avantgarde groups the Uusinta Ensemble and defunensemble, and he often collaborates with Avanti! Chamber Orchestra. He is an active event organizer and one of the curatorial forces behind Klassinen Hietsu, Helsinki-Bösendorfer-1880, and the House of Nobility Concerts. Holmström’s recordings have garnered much praise both in Finland and abroad. His Schumann recording with violinist Eriikka Maalismaa won the Emma Award as the best classical recording in Finland in 2019.
-
Tuuli Lindeberg
Soprano Tuuli Lindeberg is one of the leading performers of baroque and contemporary vocal music in Finland. The press has often praised her for her clean and expressive voice and versatile musicianship. Tuuli Lindeberg regularly collaborates with the leading orchestras and baroque music ensembles in her native Finland, appearing as a soloist in oratorios, orchestral concerts and recitals on diverse venues of classical music. Ms. Lindeberg gives premiers and collaborates regularly with Finnish composers, among the recent being Juhani Nuorvala, Minna Leinonen, Sampo Haapamäki, and Kaija Saariaho. Ms. Lindeberg shares a passion for teaching. She loves rediscovering forgotten vocal repertoire and enjoys artistic planning.
-
Pekka Kuusisto
Violinist, conductor, and composer Pekka Kuusisto is a musician with many faces. Kuusisto is Artistic Director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and Artistic Partner of Saint Paul Chamber and Mahler Chamber Orchestra. He is Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Co-Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from the 2023/24 season. He has given the world premiere performances of both Bryce Dessner’s Violin Concerto and Thomas Adés’s Märchentänze Concerto. During the 2022/23 season Kuusisto debuted with Berliner Philharmoniker and performed as a soloist with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. His instrument is the Antonio Stradivari (c.1709) ‘Scotta’ violin, generously loaned by a patron through Tarisio.
-
Jussi Tuhkanen
Orchestral and chamber music repertoires are close to violist Jussi Tuhkanen’s heart, especially as a member of the Kamus Quartet and Jousia Ensemble. In addition to his own teachers, Kamus’s time in the European Chamber Music Academy ECMA, has been important to Tuhkanen’s artistic growth. Since 2008 the Kamus Quartet has held the position as quartet in residence at the Kuopio Conservatory. In 2018 Kamus was appointed artistic director of Our Festival. Jussi Tuhkanen serves as the principal violist at Tapiola Sinfonietta and he has been a faculty member at the Sibelius-Academy since 2021. First prize winner of the Tampere national viola competition in 2006, he has recorded the Viola Concerto by Kalevi Aho as the soloist with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. His instrument is a Vincenzo Sannino from 1910.
-
Joonas Ahonen
Pianist Joonas Ahonen’s musical interests take him from late 18th-century fortepiano repertoire to giving world premieres of the music of our time. He is a member of Klangforum Wien, one of today’s leading ensembles for contemporary music, and a founding member of the Rödberg Trio playing on period instruments. Recent concert highlights include a performance of Philipp Maintz’s Piano Concerto with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop, the world premiere of Bernhard Gander’s Piano Concerto, and solo recital at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. During the 2022–23 season Joonas Ahonen and his regular duo partner violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja toured in Japan and gave a Barbican Centre performance praised by the Guardian.
-
Marianna Henriksson
Harpsichordist Marianna Henriksson is a versatile musician who regularly premieres and records new music, performs as a soloist, arranges chamber music works, participates in opera productions, and tours the world as a member of breakdance shows. She is passionate about interdisciplinarity in art and about combining different styles of music. Together with choreographer Anna Mustonen she has created award winning projects where early baroque music meets new dance styles. Marianna Henriksson’s doctoral studies at the Sibelius Academy are at a concluding stage. Since the beginning of this year she serves as the artistic planner for the Finnish Baroque Orchestra.
-
Matleena Koivusaari
Musician Matleena Koivusaari’s main focus at the moment is her doctoral studies at the Sibelius-Academy supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation. In her large study titled “Osallistuminen-Participation; one time I bathed for too long and accidentally became a hologram..” she combines music, philosophy, and fiction. Another work in progress is titled The Women Of Birch Island emerging together with Pauliina Koivusaari. Matleena Koivusaari is highly interested in the issues of equality. She has performed extensively across Finland. The latest performances included collaborations with cellist Liina-Mari Raivola and the Game Music Collective. Her album including music by Brahms and Lindberg was released in 2017, and the next one scheduled is one with Henrik Sandås Quintet playing Piazzolla. This year Koivusaari will graduate from Helsinki University majoring in psychology.
-
Anna-Maaria Oramo
Harpsichordist and vocalist Anna-Maaria Oramo has performed as a soloist all around the world. She is a member of the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, Orfeo 55, Ensemble Matheus as well as Amor céu and Gamut ensembles. Her recordings have been rewarded internationally with prizes such as the Diapason d’or in 2020. Anna-Maaria Oramo performs regularly with the Finnish Baroque Orchestra. She has been a faculty member at the Novia University of Applied Sciences, Collegium association’s Senior’s baroque workshop, Sastamala Gregoriana Festival, and at the Medieval Music in the Dales Festival in England. She regularly records for the Finnish Broadcasting Company and ARTE.
-
Eriikka Maalismaa
Violinist Eriikka Maalismaa performs with numerous Finnish and international chamber music ensembles and has worked as a leader and principal with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Helsinki City Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta and Australian Chamber Orchestra. Maalismaa also works with electronic music and multidisciplinary art works. Maalismaa has commissioned and performed violin concertos by Finnish composers such as Veli Kujala and Jouni Hirvelä. Her most recent recordings include the Emma Award-winning Robert Schumann Violin Sonatas for Period Instruments (2019) and Sonatas by Amy Beach and Richard Strauss (2021). She is also active as an organiser, organising the Classical Hietsu series, among others.
-
Riitta Pesola
Riitta Pesola has studied cello at the Sibelius Academy, where she graduated with excellent grades. She continued her studies at the Juilliard School in New York with Zara Nelsova. After winning the Turku National Cello Competition in 1986, Pesola has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras and in solo concerts in Finland, several European countries, the United States and Japan. Riitta Pesola is a member of Trio Finlandia and solo cellist of the Tapiola Sinfonietta. Her instrument is the Italian Giovanni Grancino cello dating back to 1698.
-
Severin von Eckardstein
Multiple award winner Severin von Eckardstein is one of the leading German pianists of today, performing many recitals and numerous appearances with orchestras at the greatest venues in Berlin, Munich, Milan and London. He has performed at renowned international festivals such as the Klavier-Festival Ruhr and Raritäten der Klaviermusik in Husum, and La Roque d’Anthéron. Von Eckardstein often premiers works by contemporary composers, in particular by the American composer Sidney Corbett. He has a keen interest in piano music from the late Romantic age, especially of less known composers such as Nicolai Medtner, whose works hi has also recorded. Von Eckardstein gives regularly masterclasses at the Universität der Künste Berlin as well as in South Korea, Belgium, and Finland.
-
Piotr Pawlak
Polish pianist Piotr Pawlak, winner of the 5th International Maj Lind Piano Competition (2022) and laureate of a number of other competitions, has performed widely in Europe, United States, Russia, Georgia and China. As a soloist, he has played with many orchestras, including the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, Ningbo Symphony Orchestra, Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra and Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2014, he was awarded a scholarship funded by Krystian Zimerman. Pawlak also studies conducting and plays the organ. He has a Master’s degree in Mathematics.
-
Tiina Karakorpi
Finnish pianist and doctor in music Tiina Karakorpi performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician. Following studies at the Sibelius Academy she has deepened her skills at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, Accademia Internazionale Musicale di Roma, and at the European Chamber Music Academy. She’s been a laureate in many international competitions including Maj Lind and Vanna Spadafora. She has performed as soloist with the Tapiola Sinfoneitta and the Vatican Symphony Orchestra. Tiina Karakorpi is a member of KAAÅS piano trio and performs often with violinists Mirka Malmi and Linda Suolahti.
-
Irina Zahharenkova
Irina Zahharenkova performs as pianist, fortepianist, and harpsichordist. The range of instruments have led her naturally to music from different eras. Born in Estonia, Irina Zahharenkova is a sought-after festival guest, chamber musician, and soloist of many orchestras’. She has performed at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr and Mendelssohn Festival, and as soloist with Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been reworded in multiple competitions. Being successful in the International Bach Competition in Leipzig and the Prague Spring Competition has led to numerous performance invitations. Irina Zahharenkova has a widening discography including recordings of Mozart’s sonatas and J.S. Bach’s partitas.
-
Petja Kainulainen
Chamber music and especially the Kamus Quartet has a special role in cellist Petja Kainulainen’s identity as a musician. The widely performing string quartet has a major ongoing recording project. They are recording all Beethoven’s string quartets, of which the first recording will be released this year. Kamus is the Artistic Director of Our Festival / Meidän Festivaali. Kainulainen teaches at the Espoo Music Institute, Sibelius Academy and at Centria University of Applied Sciences. He is also one of the Artistic Planners of Kino Soi! Concert Series. His instrument is a Claude-Augustin Miremont (1883) owned by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
-
Terhi Paldanius
Since the age of six, Terhi Paldanius has known that she wants to be professional violinist, and prior to that that she didn’t dream about anything else in particular. She has studied with Päivyt Meller and Tero Latvala among others. Before becoming a mother, Terhi didn’t cook. Now she has to master that as well. She still has another principal rule which she never breaks. She will play the slow movement of Sibelius’s quartet Voces Intimae only with the members of Kamus Quartet. Terhi also plays the viola, but despite that the violist of the Kamus Quartet, Jussi Tuhkanen and Terhi has never though fought over who’s the viola player in the quartet.
-
Ke Ma
Award winning pianist Ke Ma debuted at Wigmore Hall under the auspices of the Kirckman Concert Society in 2017. She has given concerts across the UK, China, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Hungary and the US. Highlights have included appearances with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. During 2020, Ke Ma appeared as soloists at the Gold Medal competition with Guildhall Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the prestigious York Minster as the first Chinese pianist ever. As a committed chamber musician Ke Ma has undertaken a Tunnell Trust Award tour of Scotland. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral studies at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
-
Janne Nisonen
Janne Nisonen, concert master of Tapiola Sinfonietta, has career paths that has taken him from violin student to chamber musician and from concertmaster to conductor. He is known for being an elegant performer of classical and early romantic music and for being a bold introducer of new music. Janne Nisonen’s musical roots are in the Kaustinen fiddler-based folk music tradition, which can be heard in his playing and seen in his crossover projects: the collaboration with the Frigg and Sväng Ensembles brought widely new listeners to orchestral concerts in concert halls. In March 2023 Janne Nisonen conducted successfully premiers of three new works with Helsinki Symphony Orchestra at Musica nova Helsinki Festival.
-
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Engaging in exceptionally broad-based audience outreach work, Tapiola Sinfonietta addresses all age groups in their home town, the City of Espoo, from unborn babies to senior citizens, and gives performances away from conventional concert venues. The orchestra often performs without a conductor, placing an emphasis on ensemble playing and the personal responsibility of each musician. Tapiola Sinfonietta is known for its adventurous repertoire planning and has been widely acclaimed for nuanced performances across a wide range of eras and styles. The artistic planning is done in dialogue with artist partners. In the season 2023–2024, the Artists in Association are conductor Ryan Bancroft and guitarist/composer Marzi Nyman, with author Juha Itkonen as Artist in Residence. The Tapiola Sinfonietta has made popular appearances at every PianoEspoo Festival since the event was started.
-
defunensemble
Formed in 2009, defunensemble quickly established itself as one of the leading contemporary music groups in Finland. The ensemble's vigorous mission is to systematically delve into the world of electroacoustic music. Besides playing premieres, the ensemble frequently commissions new works. Its concerts are highly innovative, blending different sub-genres of the electroacoustic persuasion with an unprecedented street credibility. The musicians and sound designers are among leading personalities of the Finnish contemporary music scene. After successfully appearing the major festivals in Finland, the ensemble is, together with Sami Klemola as artistic director, gaining international recognition.
-
Ensemble for New Music Tallinn
Founded in 2012, Ensemble for New Music Tallinn (ENMT) is internationally the most active Estonian contemporary music ensemble, being an important platform for experiencing new music and expanding the possibilities for composers. ENMT’s musical mission is to enrich both local and international cultural life. In addition to commissioning new works, ENMT is often playing the Estonian premier of central contemporary music pieces. The ensemble collaborates with Estonian and European music festivals, and has been organizing a festival dedicated to alternative intonations, Sound Plasma, both in Tallinn and in Berlin since 2017. The artistic director of the ensemble is composer and conductor Arash Yazdani.
-
Eveliina Sumelius-Lindblom
Pianist Eveliina Sumelius-Lindblom works extensively in the Finnish music scene as a performing artist, researcher and pedagogue as well as in various advisory positions. In her doctoral degree, Sumelius-Lindblom specialized on aesthetic peculiarities of the 1920’s French Modernism and the research-based methodological thinking of the music performer. Sumelius-Lindblom has worked closely with contemporary Finnish composer Seppo Pohjola, premiering more than a dozen of his works. Sumelius-Lindblom has participated in concert projects focusing on piano etudes by György Ligeti and Paavo Heininen. Her second solo album “Silent Revolution” featuring solo piano music by Messiaen, Murail, and Melartin was released in spring 2023.
-
Helga Karen
Pianist Helga Karen has specialized in performance of classical contemporary music. She has performed on new music festivals such as Lucerne Festival, SoundScape, Musica Nova, ISA2015, and Stockhausen Courses and Concerts. Ms. Karen has premiered works for both piano solo and chamber ensembles. She is a member of new music Earth Ears Ensemble. Ms. Karen has worked with composers including Helmut Lachenmann and Rebecca Saunders. She has had organizational roles such as curator of Daniel Barenboim’s educational program for children and youth and as co-producer for the Lucerne Festival Forward. Currently she is a doctoral student at the Sibelius Academy working on her research project exploring Stockhausen's piano piece.
-
Lapland Chamber Orchestra
Founded in 1972, the Lapland Chamber Orchestra is the northern-most professional chamber orchestra in Finland. Based in Rovaniemi, the orchestra regularly tours across Lapland as well as along the Cap of the North. In 2014, the orchestra performed at the BBC Proms festival in London as the first Finnish chamber orchestra. In addition to concert experiences, the orchestra holds artist meetings, concerts in villages and at schools, music sessions with the audience, and contacts with music lovers are also important to the orchestra. The orchestra’s latest release consist of Hans Abrahamsen’s Schnee, a 2022 Gramophone Award finalist recording and Finnish Emma 2022 Classical Music Award winner. Its Artistic Director is conductor John Storgårds. Pianist, conductor, and composer Olli Mustonen serves as its Guest Conductor.
-
John Storgårds
Conductor John Storgårds has served as artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra since 1996. He started his career as a violinist and holding concert master positions in Avanti! and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. His first engagement as conductor was with the Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra after which he’s been the chief conductor of the Helsinki and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestras. Currently he serves as the chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra Ottawa. John Storgårds has received the Pentti Kaitera Foundation’s award and an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Lapland.
-
Marianna Shirinyan
Armenian-born Marianna Shirinyan’s vibrant and virtuous musicianship puts her in much demand, both as a soloist and a chamber musician. She performs with great sensitivity, technical brilliance, and beauty of tone, which allows her to offer a wide range of repertoire. Marianna Shirinyan has been recognized for her contributions to the Danish music life. She is a frequent guest at international festivals and a curator of several chamber music festivals across Europe. The latest addition to her impressive discography is a recording of Rachmaninov’s Suites for two pianos together with Dominik Wizjan. Ms. Shirinyan is professor of piano at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, and guest professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo.
-
Kamus Guartet
The Kamus Quartet continues to delight audiences with a strong and distinctive voice. Celebrating their 20th anniversary last year, the ensemble has become widely known for their versatile artistic programming and open-minded attitude. They serve as the Artistic Directors of the internationally acclaimed Meidän Festivaali / Our Festival. Their recordings have gained wide appraisal and have won the EMMA-prize for best classical music recording in Finland among other recognitions. An active force in its native country musical life, the quartet has presented the concert series TeemaHelsinki and Beethoven Effect the latter including all string quartets of the composer. In 2022 the collaboration “Inside the Quartet” with Meidän Festivaali and Aalto University was announced, a project allowing audiences to experience the string quartet through VR headsets.
-
Aleksei Zaitsev
One of Finland’s most promising young pianists, Aleksei Zaitsev was the only Finn appearing at the final stage of the international Maj Lind Piano Competition in 2022. Zaitsev has performed in Finland, Baltics, Belgium, France, Spain, Japan, and the USA. He has performed as orchestral soloist with Joensuu Symphony Orchestra as well as Musica Mundi with Maxim Vengerov. This year he won a soloist competition held at his current school of studies, the Royal Danish Academy of Music, where he performed as soloist with the institution’s symphony orchestra. In addition to new music Zaitsev is interested in combining music with other arts. An example of this was his collaboration with contemporary dancers at the Kaivos Festival in Outokumpu, in northern Karelia.
-
Bruce Liu
Bruce Liu achieved worldwide fame in 2021 when he became the first Canadian to take first prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. Subsequently his first album won a Fryderyk Award and received international acclaim receiving both Critics’ choice and Editor’s choice in Gramophone Magazine. Bruce Liu's 2023/24 season will be filled with remarkable performance opportunities including soloist performance with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Maestro Gianandrea Noseda at the Rheingau Musik Festival, as well as at Kissinger Sommer in Germany. Bruce Liu will also perform at the renowned Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. Further highlights of the season include performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Orchestre Metropolitan both with conductor Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin.