The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra (Finnish: ''Turun Filharmoninen Orkesteri'') is a Finnish orchestra based in

Turku Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

. The oldest orchestra in Finland, the Turku Philharmonic is resident at the

Turku Concert Hall Turku Concert Hall (, ) is located on the north side of the Puutori market square in Turku, Finland. The hall was designed by architect Risto-Veikko Luukkonen and constructed in 1952. It was the first concert hall in Finland. The Turku Philharmon ...

, the first purpose-built concert hall in Finland, completed in 1952.

History

The orchestra was founded in 1790 under the name ''Turun Soitannollinen Seura'' (Musical Society of Turku). In 1927, the municipality of Turku took ownership of the ensemble, with

Tauno Hannikainen Tauno Heikki Hannikainen (February 26, 1896 – October 12, 1968) 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 harpist Väinö Hanni ...

as the orchestra's first chief conductor under municipal management. The orchestra roster currently numbers 74 musicians. The orchestra's most recent chief conductor was

Olli Mustonen Olli Mustonen (born 7 June 1967) is a Finnish pianist, conductor, and composer. Biography Mustonen studied harpsichord and piano from the age of five with Ralf Gothóni and then Eero Heinonen. He studied composition with Einojuhani Rautavaar ...

, from 2021 to 2023. In January 2024, the orchestra announced the appointment of

John Storgårds John Gunnar Rafael Storgårds (born 20 October 1963) is a Finnish conductor and violinist. Biography John Storgårds was born in Helsinki, the son of economist Gunnar Storgårds and his wife Marjatta (Ikonen) Storgårds. He studied violin with E ...

as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2024–2025 season, with an initial contract through the spring of 2028. Past resident composers of the orchestra have included

Mikko Heiniö Mikko Kyösti Heiniö (born 18 May 1948) is a Finnish composer and musicologist. Life Mikko Heiniö was born in 1948 in Tampere, and studied composition with Joonas Kokkonen and piano with Liisa Pohjola at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from 1971 ...

. The orchestra's current composer-in-residence is Sebastian Fagerlund, since autumn 2022. The orchestra released its first commercial recording in 1979. It has since recorded commercially for such labels as Ondine, Finlandia, and

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records, which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about ...

. With

Leif Segerstam Leif Selim Segerstam ( , 2 March 1944 – 9 October 2024) was a Finnish conductor, composer, violinist, violist, and pianist, especially known for writing over 300 symphonies, along with other works. From 1963 onward Segerstam conducted a vari ...

, the orchestra has released a series of albums for Naxos of the music of

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius (; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his countr ...

. The orchestra began to release monthly streaming videos of selected concerts in September 2016.

Principal conductors

(1927–1928) * Toivo Haapanen (1928–1929) *

(1929–1939) * Eero Selin (1940–1941) * Ole Edgren (1941–1962) *

Jorma Panula Jorma Juhani Panula (born 10 August 1930) is a Finnish conductor, composer, and teacher of conducting. He has mentored many Finnish conductors, such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mikko Franck, Sakari Oramo, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Osmo Vänskä, Klaus ...

(1963–1965) * Paavo Rautio (1965–1974) * Pertti Pekkanen (1974–1986) * Igor Bezrodnyi (1986–1990) *

Jacques Mercier Jacques Mercier (born 17 October 1943 in Mouscron) is a Belgian writer and television and radio presenter. The third eldest son of René and Denise Mercier, Jacques Mercier was educated at St. Joseph's College. Mercier joined RTBF in September ...

(1990–1995) *

Hannu Lintu Hannu Petteri Lintu (born 13 October 1967) is a Finnish conductor. Early life and education Hannu Lintu was born in Rauma, the son of Johannes Lintu, an electrical engineer, and his wife Lilja Lintu (née Toivonen), a photographer. He studied p ...

(1998–2001) * Tibor Bogányi (2003–2006) * Petri Sakari (2007–2011) *

(2012–2019) *

(2021–2023) *

(designate, effective autumn 2024)

References

External links

Turku Philharmonic Orchestra official Finnish-language website

Turku Philharmonic Orchestra official English-language website

Turku Philharmonic Orchestra on Suosio (Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras)

David Hurwitz, 'More Excellent Rare Sibelius from Segerstam on Naxos'. Review from ClassicsToday.com

* [http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_cd_review.php?id=13724 Colin Anderson, 'Sibelius’s music for ''Scaramouche'' – Turku Philharmonic Orchestra/Leif Segerstam [Naxos]'. Classical Source website, June 2016] {{Authority control Finnish orchestras Culture in Turku 1790 establishments in Finland Musical groups established in the 18th century Tourist attractions in Turku