Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (Finnish: Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri, Swedish: Helsingfors stadsorkester) is an orchestra based in Helsinki
, Finland
. Its primary concert venue is the Helsinki Music Centre
.
In 1882, with the backing of two wealthy businessmen, Robert Kajanus
founded the orchestra as the Helsinki Orchestral Society and served as its chief conductor for 50 years. It was the first permanent orchestra in the Nordic countries
. In 1914 it merged with its bitter rival the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra and acquired its present name. Until 1962, it also served as the orchestra for the Finnish National Opera
.
Leif Segerstam
was chief conductor of the orchestra from 1995 to 2007, and is now its chief conductor emeritus. John Storgårds
became principal guest conductor of the orchestra in 2003, and took up the chief conductorship of the orchestra in the autumn of 2008, with an initial contract of 4 years.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Its primary concert venue is the Helsinki Music Centre
Helsinki Music Centre
The Helsinki Music Centre is a concert hall and a music center in Töölönlahti, Helsinki. The building is home to Sibelius Academy and two symphony orchestras, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra....
.
In 1882, with the backing of two wealthy businessmen, Robert Kajanus
Robert Kajanus
Robert Kajanus was a Finnish conductor and composer of Swedish descent.-Life:Robert Kajanus was the most prominent Finnish composer before Jean Sibelius. His music drew on the folk legends of the Finnish people...
founded the orchestra as the Helsinki Orchestral Society and served as its chief conductor for 50 years. It was the first permanent orchestra in the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
. In 1914 it merged with its bitter rival the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra and acquired its present name. Until 1962, it also served as the orchestra for the Finnish National Opera
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
.
Leif Segerstam
Leif Segerstam
Leif Segerstam is a Finnish conductor and composer.He studied violin, piano and conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and conducting at the Juilliard School in New York with Jean Morel....
was chief conductor of the orchestra from 1995 to 2007, and is now its chief conductor emeritus. John Storgårds
John Storgårds
John Gunnar Rafael Storgårds is a Finnish violinist and conductor.Storgårds studied violin with Esther Raitio and Jouko Ignatius at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and continued his violin studies with Chaim Taub in Israel. He was a founding member of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra...
became principal guest conductor of the orchestra in 2003, and took up the chief conductorship of the orchestra in the autumn of 2008, with an initial contract of 4 years.
Chief conductors
- Robert KajanusRobert KajanusRobert Kajanus was a Finnish conductor and composer of Swedish descent.-Life:Robert Kajanus was the most prominent Finnish composer before Jean Sibelius. His music drew on the folk legends of the Finnish people...
(1882–1932) - Georg SchnéevoigtGeorg SchnéevoigtGeorg Schnéevoigt was a Finnish conductor and cellist, born in Vyborg, Grand Duchy of Finland, which is now in Russia....
(1932–1940) - Armas JärnefeltArmas JärnefeltEdvard Armas Järnefelt , was a Finnish composer and conductor.Armas Järnefelt was born in Vyborg, in the Grand Duchy of Finland, the son of general August Aleksander Järnefelt and Elisabeth Järnefelt . His siblings were Kasper, Arvid, Erik, Ellida, Ellen, Aino, Hilja and Sigrid...
(1942–1943) - Martti Similä (1945–1951)
- Tauno HannikainenTauno HannikainenTauno Hannikainen was a Finnish cellist and conductor.Born in Jyväskylä, he was the son of the composer Pekka Juhani Hannikainen. The pianist Ilmari Hannikainen and the conductor Väinö Hannikainen were his brothers. He studied first as a cellist in Helsinki and abroad...
(1951–1963) - Jorma PanulaJorma PanulaJorma Panula is a Finnish conductor, composer, and professor of conducting.Panula is a graduate of the Sibelius Academy, where he studied the organ, church music and conducting...
(1965–1972) - Paavo BerglundPaavo BerglundPaavo Allan Engelbert Berglund is a Finnish conductor.Born in Helsinki, Berglund studied the violin as a child, and played an instrument made by his grandfather. By age 15, he had decided on music as his career, and by 18 was playing in restaurants...
(1975–1979) - Ulf Söderblom (1978–1979)
- Okko KamuOkko KamuOkko Kamu is a Finnish orchestral conductor.Kamu was born into a family of musicians. His father played double bass in the Helsinki Philharmonic. He began violin studies at age two and entered the Sibelius Academy at age six. He formed his own string quartet, the Suhonen, in 1964 where he played...
(1981–1989) - Sergiu ComissionaSergiu ComissionaSergiu Comissiona was a Romanian conductor and violinist.-Early life:...
(1990–1994) - Leif SegerstamLeif SegerstamLeif Segerstam is a Finnish conductor and composer.He studied violin, piano and conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and conducting at the Juilliard School in New York with Jean Morel....
(1995–2007) - John StorgårdsJohn StorgårdsJohn Gunnar Rafael Storgårds is a Finnish violinist and conductor.Storgårds studied violin with Esther Raitio and Jouko Ignatius at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and continued his violin studies with Chaim Taub in Israel. He was a founding member of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra...
(2008-present)