Pekka Kuusisto

Violinist, conductor and composer Pekka Kuusisto is renowned for his artistic freedom, exhilarating musicianship and boundless repertoire. He is in demand as an artistic partner and currently holds the positions of: Artistic Director of Norwegian Chamber Orchestra;  Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Co-Director of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra;  Artistic Partner with Mahler Chamber Orchestra; Collaborative Partner of San Francisco Symphony;  Artistic Best Friend of Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen; and Artist in Residence of Sinfonieorchester Basel.

An advocate of contemporary music, he has premiered works by Sauli Zinovjev, Anna Clyne, Daníel Bjarnason, Anders Hillborg, Philip Venables and Andrea Tarrodi, and given the world premiere and subsequent international performances of Bryce Dessner’s Violin Concerto. Kuusisto gave the world premiere of Thomas Adès’ Märchentänze for violin and orchestra with Finnish Radio Symphony orchestra, and in autumn 2023 opened Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra’s new season performing the world premiere of Anna Clyne’s violin concerto.

In addition to his orchestral partners, Kuusisto performs this coming season with Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchester, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, is in residency with Scottish Chamber Orchestra and goes on a US recital tour.

As a conductor, recent highlights include Philharmonia Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouworkest and Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.

Kuusisto’s recordings include Nico Muhly’s violin concerto, Shrink, Ades’ Violin Concerto, and the award-winning Beethoven and Stravinsky violin concertos, in which he conducted Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and Vilde Frang.