As a performing organist and pedagogue, I am dedicated to cherishing the organ art in its variety, its historical context, and as a crucial part of our time. The organ is a melting pot for inventions and innovations, which have been growing already for over 2000 years. Therefore, I constantly collaborate with composers and premiere new works on historical and modern organs in inspiring concert programs, combining the experience of exciting new sounds with the compelling music of older periods.
Premiere of Virtaperko’s Aarre on YLE Areena
Olli Virtaperko composed his Aarre for the concert hall organ at Helsinki Musiikkitalo and orchestra and used the features of the organ in a fantastic way. I was honored to serve as soloist of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra cond. by Nicolò Umberto Foron.
Watch the performance of Olli Virtaperko’s Aarre at Music Nova Festival Helsinki on Feb 14th here.
Great Success @ Auditorio Nacional de Madrid
My organ recital at the sold out grand hall of the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid on October 28th was a great success. The audience appreciated the program a lot and it was a pleasure to meet the Spanish composer José Luis Turina, this year’s composer-in-residence of the Auditorio. The audience was as enthusiastic about the contemporary music (including Cyclone (2006) by Veli Kujala) as about J.S. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G- Major BWV 550 at the beginning of the concert and Max Reger’s Phantasy and Fugue on the name B-A-C-H op. 46 at the grande finale. This memorable concert ended with the second movement of Bach’s Sonata in E Minor as en encore on this beautiful Grenzing Organ.
