The Lapland Chamber Orchestra
John Storgårds, conductor
Marianna Shirinyan, piano
Emil Holmström, Hammond organ

J.S.Bach (1685-1750): Harpsichord Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056 (Shirinyan)
Sami Klemola (s. 1973): Ghost Notes – Concerto for Hammond-organ and chamber orchestra (Holmström)

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J.S.Bach: Harpsichord Concerto in E Major BWV 1053 (Shirinyan)
Outi Tarkiainen (1985): Polar Pearls - Concerto for chamber orchestra

The illustrious Lapland Chamber Orchestra and its Artistic Director John Storgårds this year won the Finnish Emma award for the best classical release. The PianoEspoo programme by this band of players seldom heard in southern Finland is just what one would expect of the orchestra and most certainly won’t disappoint. Among the items on the programme are a brand-new concerto for chamber orchestra by the LCO’s trusted, internationally-acclaimed composer Outi Tarkiainen, and a Hammond concerto by Sami Klemola with Emil Holmström as the organist. Adding a historical dimension will be the keyboard concertos by J.S. Bach performed by top Danish pianist Marianna Shirinyan.

Tickets €15–49 + booking fee (from €1,50 www.lippu.fi)

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.

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.

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.