Violinist Simone Lamsma in concert with Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä, 16 September

Appraised Dutch violinist Simone Lamsma will perform with Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä in a concert entitled “Romantic violin” on Wednesday 16th September 2009 at the Jyväskylä City Theatre, starting at 7 pm.

Lamsma has chosen as her solo performance Concerto for violin and orchestra no. 8 by Louis Spohr. Lamsma’s interpretation of the concerto might be familiar to some listeners from the critically acclaimed Louis Spohr recording which Sinfonia Finladia published last spring.

The opening piece of the concert is Walter Piston’s Sinfonietta, an orchestral work which builds on rich harmony usage and pulsating rhythms. The sinfonietta is followed by Spohr’s concerto in which one can hear Lamsma playing on an Antonio Stradivari violin (labelled Cremona 1718). The final part of the concert is Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony no. 2. All works are lead by conductor and violinist Jaakko Kuusisto.

“Romantic violin”, a musical greeting from the United States and Germany

American composer Walter Piston’s (Jan 20, 1894 – Nov 12, 1976) compositional style is characterized by disciplinary control of harmony, counterpoint and orchestration, with strong pulsating rhythms. These elements are very much present in Piston’s Sinfonietta, which was completed in 1941.

Louis (Ludwig) Spohr (5 Apr 1784 – 22 Oct 1859) was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Spohr’s compositional style in general is characterized by a somewhat “traditional Early Romantic” style. His composition Concerto for violin and orchestra no. 8 is one of his most performed works. In his concerto, Spohr avoids the traditional classical concerto-form and it has been said that the 8th violin concerto contains elements from the Romantic era.

Ludwig van Beethoven (c. 17 Dec 1770 – 26 Mar 1827) completed his Symphony no. 2 in the year 1802. During 1802, Beethoven was struggling with severe tinnitus which made it difficult for him to appreciate and perceive music. Despite his loss of hearing, Beethoven continued composing for many years.
In Symphony no. 2, Beethoven’s musical language shifts towards a more personal direction, and it changed the appreciation of his contemporary critics, musicians and composers; after the first performance of Symphony no. 2, only one critic praised it.

Simone Lamsma

Simone Lamsma began playing the violin at the age of five, and moved to the UK at the age of eleven to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School with Professor Hu Kun. She continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and from 2004 was a student of Professor Maurice Hasson. As the youngest student ever to enter the Royal Academy of Music’s Bachelor of Music programme, Ms Lamsma graduated from the Royal Academy aged 19 with first class honours, and was awarded with the prestigious ‘HRH Princess Alice’s Prize’ for exemplary studentship, the ‘Louise Child Prize’ for the highest achievement of the Bmus Graduate and the ‘Roth Prize’ for the best violin examination result. (source http://www.simonelamsma.com/, visit for more information).

Jaakko Kuusisto

Jaakko Kuusisto, first violin leader of Lahti Symphony Orchestra and occasional conductor of various music groups, began studying the violin at The East Helsinki Music Institute. His first violin teacher was Hungarian Géza Szilvay. Mr. Kuusisto continued his studies at the Sibelius Academy and later moved to the United States to study under Miriam Fried and Paul Biss.

Kuusisto’s career with Lahti Symphony Orchestra began in 1998 and in 1999 was appointed First violin leader. Alongside concerts with Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Kuusisto often performs solo concerts and works as a chamber musician, and in 2005 Kuusisto was appointed as regular visiting solo musician to Oulu Symphony Orchestra. Occasionally Kuusisto also works as a composer and as an arranger, and like in the case of “Romantic violin” as a conductor.

More information

Simone Lamsma: http://www.simonelamsma.com/
Jaakko Kuusisto: http://www.sinfonialahti.fi/orkesteri/I-viulut/fi_FI/I-viulut_kuusisto/ (in Finnish).
Louis Spohr recording: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.570528

Ticket prices: 20/18/10 € (Discount with Plussa Card 18/16/8 €)
Tickets available: www.lippu.fi, telephone sales 0600 900 900 (1,75€/min + local network charge), 7am - 10pm.
More information: www.jyvaskylasinfonia.fi