About
Joonas Pitkänen is a charismatic young Finnish
conductor recognized for his natural gravitas on the podium and passionate musicianship. Pitkänen has been praised for the clarity and efficiency of his
conducting and his ability to shape the sound of the orchestra. His approach is characterised by a sense of depth and quality. In addition to the Nordic repertoire to which he feels a natural affinity, he is particularly drawn to the work of Mahler and Brahms as well as the work of Bartok and Shostakovich.
Pitkänen was principal conductor of Monferrato Classic Orchestra and Akademisches Orchester Freiburg.
Pitkänen won 1st prize in Cítta de Brescia - Giancarlo Facchinetti conducting competition and a distinction in the 11th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors in 2023. The prize includes concerts in Italy, Romania and Czech Republic with orchestras like Filarmonica Bacau and I Solisti Aquilani.
His upcoming engagements include re-invitations to work with Camerata Zürich, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz and St. Michel Strings, and debuts with Helsinki Philharmonic, Hradec Kralove Philharmonic Orchestra and Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Ankara.
Pitkänen exudes natural gravitas, and the economic podium action is pleasing to watch. Without having followed the rehearsals, I dare say that the communication with the eager musicians has been excellent...
...there is a musical grip in everything he does.
CONCERTS
"Feeling Blue&White Concert Series"
Sibelius: Incidental music to "Kuolema"
Kokkonen: Il paesaggio (1987)
Sibelius: Pelleas et Melisande Op. 46
"The Christmas Music Festival"
Sibelius: Incidental music to "Kuolema"
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme Op.33
Sibelius: Pelleas et Melisande Op. 46
Ana Turkalj, Violoncello
"New Years Concert"
In program e.g.
Bernstein: Overture to "Candide"
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Márquez: Danzon No.2
Thomas Wise, Piano
"New Years Concert"
In program e.g.
Bernstein: Overture to "Candide"
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Márquez: Danzon No.2
Thomas Wise, Piano
in collaboration with Basler Festival Orchester
Schweizer: "Sinfonie RA" Orchesterstück Nr. 4
Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto Op. 57
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5, Op. 82
Pablo Barragan, Clarinet
in collaboration with Basler Festival Orchester
Schweizer: "Sinfonie RA" Orchesterstück Nr. 4
Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto Op. 57
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5, Op. 82
Pablo Barragan, Clarinet
"Spenden-Konzert für Ukraine"
Schubert: Symphony D759 "Unvollendete"
"Best of II"
"Best of II"
"Tour d'Orchestre"
"Beethoven 250 - The Power of Humanity"
Ballet in co-operation with Albert Concerts, Showteam Matrix, Vertiefungskurs Tanz der Universität Freiburg, »kick for girls«- refugee children-Project and Wentzinger-Realschule
Comic Opera from Joachim Raff (1822-1882)
World Premiere Performance
World Premiere Recording with Opern-kollektiv Zürich and Orchestra of Europe
Mirjam Fässler, Serafina Giannoni,
Raisa Ierone, Matthias Bein,
Benjamin Popson, Martin Roth,
Balduin Schneeberger
Regie, Stephan Grögler
Comic Opera from Joachim Raff (1822-1882)
World Premiere Performance
World Premiere Recording with Opern-kollektiv Zürich and Orchestra of Europe
Mirjam Fässler, Serafina Giannoni,
Raisa Ierone, Matthias Bein,
Benjamin Popson, Martin Roth,
Balduin Schneeberger
Regie, Stephan Grögler
Comic Opera from Joachim Raff (1822-1882)
World Premiere Performance
World Premiere Recording with Opern-kollektiv Zürich and Orchestra of Europe
Mirjam Fässler, Serafina Giannoni,
Raisa Ierone, Matthias Bein,
Benjamin Popson, Martin Roth,
Balduin Schneeberger
Regie, Stephan Grögler
Comic Opera from Joachim Raff (1822-1882)
World Premiere Performance
World Premiere Recording with Opern-kollektiv Zürich and Orchestra of Europe
Mirjam Fässler, Serafina Giannoni,
Raisa Ierone, Matthias Bein,
Benjamin Popson, Martin Roth,
Balduin Schneeberger
Regie, Stephan Grögler
"Jubiläumskonzert"
Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus Op. 61
Rütti: Horbächlers Sicht (World Premiere)
Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 Op. 64
Smyth: The Wreckers Overture
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 Op. 27
Smyth: The Wreckers Overture
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 Op. 27
with Dèdalo Ensemble
Mozart: Church Sonata No. 17 KV 336
Jost: "Miserere" Klangstudie zum "Qui tollis" aus Mozarts Messe in c-Moll KV 427/417a
Bernstein: "Halil" for Flute and Orchestra
Mozart: Adagio und Fuge KV 546
Wagner: Parsifal, Prelude to Act III
Wagner: Parsifal, Good Friday Music
Kaspar Zehnder, Flute
Riddelin: "Loviatar" Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (World Premiere)
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 Op. 27
Matti Koponen, Violin
Educational Project for children with a migration background
Educational Project for children with a migration background
Rautavaara: In the Beginning (2015)
Klami: Suomenlinna Overture Op. 30
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 Op. 39
Rautavaara: In the Beginning (2015)
Klami: Suomenlinna Overture Op. 30
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 Op. 39
Copland: Quiet City (1940)
Walker: Lyric for Strings (1946)
Copland: Hoe Down from Rodeo (1946)
Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915 Op. 24 (1947)
Schafer: 3 pieces from Magic Songs
Høybye: The Little Mermaid (2015)
Serafina Giannoni, Soprano
Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela Op. 22 No. 2
Walton: Cello Concerto (1957)
Mahler: Symphony No. 1 "Titan"
Emanuel Graf, Violoncello
Duruflè: Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens Op. 10
W. Lloyd Webber: Serenade for Strings
Faurè: Requiem Op. 48
Johanna Takalo, Soprano
Jussi Vänttinen, Baritone
Duruflè: Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens Op. 10
W. Lloyd Webber: Serenade for Strings
Faurè: Requiem Op. 48
Johanna Takalo, Soprano
Jussi Vänttinen, Baritone
November 17 - 24, 2023
with Silesian Philharmonic
Ravel: La Valse
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante Op. 125
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade Op. 35
Lionel Martin, Violoncello
Ravel: La Valse
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante Op. 125
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade Op. 35
Lionel Martin, Violoncello
Schnittke/Bashmet: Trio Sonate (1987)
Schreker: Intermezzo Op. 6
Gentile: Improvviso (2000)
Honegger: Symphony No. 2
Smyth: The Wreckers Overture
Elgar: Enigma Variations Op. 36
Smyth: The Wreckers Overture
Elgar: Enigma Variations Op. 36
Glinka: Overture to "Ruslan and Ludmila"
Tschaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 23
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 Op. 39
Artemy Sokolovsky, Piano
Vivaldi: Concerto for two Cellos in G minor RV 531
Schubert/Tusa: "Arpeggione" Sonata D. 821
Schubert: Symphony No. 5
Thomas Demenga, Violoncello
Joonas Pitkänen, Violoncello
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Ginastera: Estancia Op. 8
Gerschwin: Cuban Overture
Márquez: Danzón No. 2
Mustonen: Triptych (2015)
Tschaikovsky: Serenade for Strings Op. 48
Mustonen: Triptych (2015)
Tschaikovsky: Serenade for Strings Op. 48
Sallinen: Chamber Music V (Barabbas Variations),
for Accordion and Strings (2000)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 6 Op. 104 (arr. E. Rushton)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 Op. 105 (arr. S. Rees)
Janne Valkeajoki, Accordion
Sallinen: Chamber Music V (Barabbas Variations),
for Accordion and Strings (2000)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 6 Op. 104 (arr. E. Rushton)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 Op. 105 (arr. S. Rees)
Janne Valkeajoki, Accordion
Beppe: Heart, from «Theh Goldest» Op. 27. Nr. 5
Dussek: Concerto for Two Pianos Op. 63
Sibelius: Pelleas et Melisande Op. 46
Adrienne Soós and Ivo Haag, Piano
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" Op. 68
Arutunian: Trumpet Concerto (1950)
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances from "Prince Igor"
Roman Leleu, Trumpet
Christmas Classics at the Movies
with Angela Schijf, presentation
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 Op. 60
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 19
Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 Op. 105
Jan Mráček, Violin
Beethoven: Cavatina from String Quartet No. 13 Op. 130
Halme: Piano Concerto (World Premiere)
Schubert/Mahler: "Der Tod und das Mädchen" D. 810
Janne Oksanen, Piano
Dvorak: Violin Concerto Op. 53
Tschaikovsky: Excerpts from the Ballet Suites
"The Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake"
Josef Špaček, Violin
"Nouvelle musique tonale"
Schweizer: Schwingungen und Farben (1988)
Hofer: Himmelwärts
Darbellay: Nocturne (2002)
Giger: Rouge (2015)
Schweizer: Orchesterstück Nr. 8 "Domoï" (2018)
Hanspeter Oggier, Pan Flute
Christoph Staudenmann, Percussion
Sara Gerber, Organ
Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) (2014)
Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Oboe and Strings (1944)
Holst: The Planets Op. 32 (arr. G. Morton)
Kelsey Maiorano, Oboe
Mendelssohn: Hebriden Overture Op. 26
Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus Op. 61
Dvorak: Czech Suite Op. 39
Mendelssohn: Hebriden Overture Op. 26
Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus Op. 61
Dvorak: Czech Suite Op. 39
Tarrodi: Birds of Paradise (2008)
Schubert/Mahler: Der Tod und das Mädchen D. 810
Bach/Respighi: Prelude and Fugue BWV 532
Poulenc: Concerto for Organ and Orchestra FP 93
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 "Organ" Op. 78
Roman Perucki, Organ
Beethoven: Violin Concerto Op. 61
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 Op. 60
Maria Marica, Violin
Coleridge-Taylor: Christmas Overture (1924)
David: Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra Op. 4
Blake: The Snowman Op. 323
Alain Wüest, Trombone
Coleridge-Taylor: Christmas Overture (1924)
David: Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra Op. 4
Blake: The Snowman Op. 323
Alain Wüest, Trombone
Joonas Pitkänen...succeeded in the great art of creating a gradual rise without becoming bombastic or heavy and opaque in sound. With light, well balanced orchestral sound and well-felt tempos he made everything that is happening understandable.
