A new era begins at the Oulu Symphony, when the British maestro Rumon Gamba begins his term as Chief Conductor of the orchestra. As a specialist in English music, he brings an abundance of music from his own country to the repertoire, which is combined with Finnish music in the concert programmes. During the spring, we will hear a comprehensive cross-section, especially of Benjamin Britten’s production, such as the Violin Concerto, Sinfonia da Requiem, the rarely performed Russian Funeral, and Nocturne, which remained his last song cycle. Other names in English music include Ralph Vaughan Williams, Edward Elgar and Sir Michael Tippett.
During the season, we will also hear classic works from other parts of Europe. Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s last three symphonies form the backbone of the last concerts of the spring season, in addition to which the programme includes Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Spanish Series.
The repertoire includes an abundance of contemporary music. During the season we will get to know, e.g., the works of Anna Clyne, Lauri Porra, Outi Tarkiainen, Tuomo Prättälä and Sebastian Fagerlund. The premiere of Porra’s Northern Infinity will be heard at the opening of the art exhibition of sculptor Kirsi Kaulanen at the Oulu Museum of Art. James MacMillan’s choral work Seven Last Words from the Cross, which enjoys the reputation of a modern classic, will be performed at Easter, when the Voces Tallinn Choir will arrive as our guest.
As guest conductors of the Oulu Symphony, we will see several names familiar from recent years, such as Risto Joost, Daniela Musca and Jessica Cottis, who recently started as the Chief Conductor of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. Peter Whelan, the artistic director of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, will make his debut in Oulu. Professor Sakari Oramo brings to Oulu the conducting students of the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, who also lead their own evening. The programme consists of the most famous dance works in history.
World-class artists will be heard as soloists. For example, cellist Torleif Thedéen interprets Shostakovich’s first cello concerto, and violinist Chloë Hanslip Britten’s violin concerto. Trumpeter Matilda Lloyd plays Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s concerto, tenor Benjamin Hulett’s programme includes Britten’s Nocturne and guitarist Ismo Eskelinen’s programme includes Sebastian Fagerlund’s guitar concerto. The opening concert of the season will be starred by Spanish Leticia Moreno, who will perform as a soloist in Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto.
The Oulu Symphony is a versatile orchestra with an extensive cooperation network. During the spring, the cooperation partners include e.g., Oulu Early Music Festival, Oulu Guitar Fest and Oulu Museum of Art, the music classes of Oulu schools with the traditional Tutti Juttu and Oulu Music Festival, whose programme including the orchestral concerts will be published in December.
Entisten nuorten sävellahja LIVE is in the programme for the third time and will also be seen on YLE Areena. This time the soloists are Saara Aalto, Pete Parkkonen and Pauli Hanhiniemi, the programme is hosted by Jorma Hietamäki and Jyri Kataja-Rahko end the conductor is Jukka Myllys, the creator of the idea. In the last concert of the spring, jazz singer Aili Ikonen will take the stage of Madetoja Hall with her band to perform her own music and the new artistic partner Jaakko Kuusisto will be the conductor. Kuusisto will also conduct the orchestra final of the XII Leevi Madetoja Competition.
Tickets for the spring season have been on sale since 21 November. Season tickets, mini series and individual tickets are on sale. Season tickets are on sale until 10 January 2022 and mini series until 14 April 2022. Tickets can be purchased from both the Madetoja Hall ticket shop and the Ticketmaster ticket shops across the country as well as from the online store (season tickets and mini series are not available in the online store). More information can be seen on Tickets-page.