NEWS
Anna-Maria Helsing: Chief Conductor Designate of Vaasa City Orchestra, Finland
Anna-Maria Helsing has been appointed Chief Conductor of Vaasa City Orchestra, Finland, from 2025. Her contract spans three and a half years.
Anna-Maria Helsing: The new Chief Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra
Anna-Maria Helsing has been appointed Chief Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra from October 2023 further to her highly successful partnership with the orchestra as its Principal Guest Conductor since 2020.
Anna-Maria says: "I am thrilled and very excited to deepen my collaboration with the BBC Concert Orchestra as their new Chief Conductor. During our years together we have established a warm connection, which on my part makes working with this orchestra a true pleasure. In the years to come I would love to further expand the symphonic repertoire of the orchestra as well as presenting it to audiences outside of London. I have the greatest respect for this fine group of musicians and I look forward to us making a lot of fantastic music in the future."
Bill Chandler, Director of BBC Concert Orchestra says: "This is such an exciting time for the BBC Concert Orchestra as we welcome Anna-Maria Helsing as Chief Conductor. Her already deep connection with the musicians and her superb music making will ensure that the next chapter of the Concert Orchestra's future will be expertly led. Already the UK's most versatile orchestra, Anna-Maria's hope is to further expand the orchestra's repertoire, and with her passion and her openness for connecting with new audiences in new ways, it promises to be a meaningful and dynamic musical relationship that will place the Concert Orchestra at the heart of the BBC's vision to make exciting, relevant and impactful content."
Upcoming highlights are her revisits with the Finnish Radio Symphony, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Oulu Symphony, Jönköping Sinfonietta, Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra as well as returning to the BBC Proms for two concerts autumn 2023.
AUTUMN 2023
During the autumn of 2023 Anna-Maria Helsing focuses on concerts with the BBC Concert Orchestra, including one concert at the BBC Proms in Royal Albert Hall, others in Southbank Centre and in Great Yarmouth. She also returns to Finnish orchestras, such as Vaasa City Orchestra, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra and Oulu Symphony.
The BBC Concert Orchestra has extended the tenure of
Anna-Maria Helsing as its Principal Guest Conductor until
2024. She conducts four programmes per season. On 6 September 2021 Helsing gave her debut with this orchestra at BBC Proms.
SPRING 2022
Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut at BBC Proms with the BBC Concert Orchestra on 6 September. The programme includes music by Einojuhani Rautavaara, Judith Weir, Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, Johann Johannsson, Olivier Messiaen, Mizzy Mazzoli and Samy Moussa. Soloist: James McVinnie.
JULY/AUGUST
In May Anna-Maria Helsing makes her debut with the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra. She has chosen a programme from the same period of time (1844-1845) - the much loved Violin Concerto by Mendelssohn and the not so often played Third Symphony by the Swedish composer Franz Berwald. Helsing is also to return to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, for a concert 20.5.
In June she will record a cd with the Trondheim Symphony and will then start the rehearsals of a new opera in Åland, music by Karólína Eiriksdóttir.
APRIL IN FINLAND
In April 2021 Anna-Maria Helsing conducts streamed concerts with many orchestras in Finland. She makes her debut with the UMO Jazz Orchestra in Helsinki with music by Outi Tarkiainen. Then she returns to orchestras she has collaborated with for years - Oulu Sinfonia 8.4 (Tarrodi, Debussy, Saariaho, Mendelssohn), Vaasa City Orchestra 15.4 (Dove, Britten, Haydn) and Tampere Filharmonia 29.4 (Berwald, Madetoja). If everything goes according to plans, she will go back to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in May, for a Young Soloists concert 20.5.
ANNA-MARIA HELSING IN STAVANGER AND HELSINKI IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
In January 2021 Anna-Maria Helsing makes her debut with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Norway, in two last minute replacement concerts. Instead of the planned concerts that had to be cancelled in April 2020, Helsing will now conduct a Russian programme of music by Stravinsky and Rachmaninov. In February there will be two different programmes in Helsinki, featuring a lot of contemporary music. One of them is February 10, when Helsing returns to the Musica Nova Festival with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in music by Xenakis, Maija Hynninen, Roope Mäenpää and Lisa Streich.
LAST MINUTE REPLACEMENT IN LONDON 11-12.11
11-12.11 Anna-Maria Helsing does a last minute replacement for the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall, London. The programme consists of Jessie Montgomery's Strum and Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto no 1 (soloist: Stephen Hough) and Symphony no 4, the "Italian". The concert will be streamed live on Thursday evening 7.30pm.
UK CONCERTS IN OCTOBER
Finally some concerts can be held again! In October, Anna-Maria Helsing returns to two of the BBC Orchestras - BBC Philharmonic in Manchester and BBC Concert Orchestra in London. The BBC CO concert in Royal Festival Hall 30.10 features the soprano Anu Komsi as soloist and there will be a lot of extraordinarily interesting pieces in the programme. Songs by Nadia Boulanger and the Finnish Heta Aho (world premiere) and more exciting contemporary music by Sebastian Fagerlund and Jimmy Lopez.
Two premieres of different kinds in March and April
In March, 8.3, Anna-Maria Helsing will conduct the world premiere of the Nadia Boulanger-Raoul Pugno opera "La ville morte" in its entirety. One concertante performance will be given at the Gothenburg Opera, live broadcasted in several European countries. 1.4. she will conduct the Icelandic premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdottir´s AION in Harpa, Reykjavík. The Iceland Dance Company will join the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in this concert. Helsing also makes her debut with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Norway, conducting two concerts April 23 and 24.
ANNA-MARIA HELSING APPOINTED PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR OF THE BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA
The BBC Concert Orchestra has appointed Finnish conductor Anna-Maria Helsing as its new Principal Guest Conductor.
Helsing will join the current BBC CO's conducting team of Bramwell Tovey (Principal Conductor), Barry Wordsworth (Conductor Laureate), and Keith Lockhart (Chief Guest Conductor), bringing additional creativity to a roster already representing a broad range of musical styles.
The initial tenure spans three years and will see Helsing lead the BBC Concert Orchestra in a range of projects across its diverse portfolio. Her first concert with the orchestra as designate takes place at Maida Vale on 13 December, live on BBC Radio 3's 'Afternoon Concert'. Plans for appearances through the 19/20, 20/21 and 21/22 seasons are under development and will include 'Musical Roots' at the Southbank on 22 February 2020, where Helsing will lead the orchestra in a new concert format for families that she has co-created with members of the BBC Concert Orchestra and an artistic team.
Read more here.
Anna-Maria Helsing takes over as the new artistic director of the RUSK festival
Anna-Maria Helsing takes over as the new artistic director of the RUSK festival from 2020. The high level chamber music festival was founded in 2013 by the clarinettist Christoffer Sundqvist and the composer Sebastian Fagerlund and is held annually every November in Jakobstad, Finland.
February in Kokkola, Stockholm and London, two premieres
In February Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra in Kokkola for a world premiere by Aulis Sallinen. It is his Concerto for two accordions, strings and percussion and the concert 14.2. will be live broadcasted by the Yle Radio. The day after, 15.2, Helsing will conduct the Swedish premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage´s new opera Coraline, a co-commission by Folkoperan in Stockholm (for other performances, see Calendar). Helsing also returns to the BBC Concert Orchestra for a family concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London 22.2.
Anna-Maria Helsing in Iceland and Turku in January 2020
Anna-Maria Helsing will revisit the Iceland Symphony Orchestra for a Young soloists concert in Harpa, Reykjavík. She will also conduct a concert with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra with contemporary music by Andrea Tarrodi and Jimmy Lopez as well as Eva Dahlgren songs by Anders Hillborg (soloist Emma Salokoski).
Anna-Maria Helsing in Sweden October - November
In November Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Östgöta Wind Symphony in Linköping as well as to Wermland Opera Orchestra in Karlstad. This time the programme in Linköping will have an emphasis on French music, with composers as Debussy, Ravel and Françaix. In Karlstad the famous Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and the Mendelssohn Third Symphony, "The Scottish", will be performed.
Anna-Maria Helsing in Helsinki, Kokkola and Korsholm in August-September
Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Vaasa Opera for a world premiere of the Olli Kortekangas church opera "Elämänkuvat". In September she returns to the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra for another world premiere, this one by Outi Tarkiainen, and to the Finnish National Opera Orchestra for a concert in Helsinki.
Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on 6 June
Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on 6 June. It is a last minute replacement with the BBC Concert Orchestra in music by Delius, Dove, de Falla, Grieg, Torke and Prokofiev. She will also return to the Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra for a concert at the Piteå Festival on 18 June.
Anna-Maria Helsing in Iceland, Helsinki and Gothenburg in April-May
Anna-Maria Helsing returns to Iceland in April for two concerts with Sinfonia Nord in Akureyrí and Reykjavík. In May she will conduct her former orchestra, the Wegelius Chamber Strings, in Helsinki. She also returns to the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for the world premiere of AION, a new piece by Anna Thorvaldsdóttir for the Iceland Dance Company and GSO.
Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Joensuu City Orchestra in March.
In March Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra for a concert of contemporary Icelandic music. She also returns to the Joensuu City Orchestra for a concert with music by the young Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi all the way back to Beethoven´s Second Symphony.
January 2019: The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and debut with the BBC Concert Orchestra in London
In January 2019 Anna-Maria returns to the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra for two concerts. She also makes her debut with the BBC Concert Orchestra in London, in a programme of among others Roussel and Saint-Saëns.
Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Göteborg Opera Orchestra and Avanti! Chamber Orchestra in November
In November Helsing will conduct a romantic Finnish-Russian programme with the Göteborg Opera Orchestra in the concert called "Höstglöd". Music by Sibelius (Katarina Karneus, mezzo-soprano), Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky. At the concert "In Memoriam" in Jakobstad she will collaborate with the accomplished actress Stina Ekblad, who will recite poems to the music. Helsing also returns to the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra for an all contemporary music concert at the Nordic Music Days.
Anna-Maria Helsing in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Helsinki in October
In October Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for two weeks of concerts with a new commissioned piece by Anders Niska. She also conducts the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in a programme of Dvořák (Arto Noras, cello), Prokofiev, Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Jüri Reinvere.
Anna-Maria Helsing at the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival in September
Helsing returns to the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and gives her debut with the Trondheim Sinfonietta during the last week of September. She will conduct music by Benjamin Britten and Michel van der Aa at two concerts of different programme, September 26 and 27.
Anna-Maria Helsing in London and Stockholm in June
In June Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and their series "Music of Today" for a concert in the Royal Festival Hall June 7th. She also makes her debut with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in two different programs in Stockholm, June 13th and 16th.
Anna-Maria Helsing gives debut with BBC Philharmonic
On 3 May Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducting music by Respighi, Andrea Tarrodi, Sibelius, Minna Leinonen and Rautavaara.
Anna-Maria Helsing in Sweden in April
April 9-13 Anna-Maria returns to Gävle Symphony Orchestra for concerts in Gävle and Hudiksvall, with music by Rautavaara, Lindström and Berwald. The following week she works with the Gothenburg Symphony, giving 11 concerts with the Enigma variations by Elgar on the programme. April 26 she gives her debut with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in a programme of Berwald, Högberg and Elgar.
Anna-Maria Helsing in London and Helsinki in March
On 9 March Anna-Maria will be rehearsing in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra for the June concert "Composers Academy". 12-17 March she is conducting a concert with the Academy Winds and the Guards band in Helsinki (FI) with music by P. Heininen, J. Linkola and J. de Meij.
Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Nordic Chamber Orchestra
Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Nordic Chamber Orchestra in Sundsvall and Härnösand (SE) on 1 and 2 March. The programme features Tobias Broström's Cello Concerto, Uuno Klami's Suite for small orchestra and Mozart's Symphony No. 41 Jupiter.
Anna-Maria Helsing at rostrum of Pori Sinfonietta.
Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Pori Sinfonietta in Pori, Finland on 8 February presenting following programme: Andrea Tarrodi: Camelopardalis, Reinhold Glière: Harp Concerto op.74 and Einojuhani Rautavaara: Autumn gardens.
Anna-Maria Helsing at Kaustinen Chamber Music Week
On 29 January-2 February Anna-Maria Helsing will be conducting Keski-Pohjanmaan Kamariorkesteri with music by P.Heininen, P-H Nordgren, A. Sallinen, M. Leinonen (world premiere) and A. Dvořák.