Kuusisto was honored for his mastery of the violin and baton, and for his willingness to push boundaries
In late February, on the eve of Finnish Tradition Day, the Finnish Cultural Basis granted three awards of 40,000 euros for important cultural achievements. Violinist and conductor Pekka Kuusisto was joined by architect Benito Casagrande and microbiologist Mirja Salkinoja-Salonen.
As a conductor along with violinist, Kuusisto serves because the Inventive Director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and Principal Visitor Conductor and Inventive Co-Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from the 2023/24 season. He’s additionally the Inventive Companion with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, a Collaborative Companion of the San Francisco Symphony, and Inventive Greatest Pal of Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.
An advocate of up to date music, he lately carried out the world premiere of Bryce Dessner’s Violin Concerto with HR Sinfonieorchester, and of Thomas Adès’ Märchentänze for violin and orchestra with Finnish Radio Symphony orchestra. Different current premieres embody works by Sauli Zinovjev, Daníel Bjarnason, Anders Hillborg, Philip Venables, and Andrea Tarrodi.
In 2022, Kuusisto launched his first album as conductor, partnering with Vilde Frang and Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen presenting the Stravinsky and Beethoven Concerti (Warner Classics).
As a violin soloist, he’s the Sinfonieorchester Basel’s Artist in Residence. Within the 2022/23 season, Kuusisto debuted with Berliner Philharmoniker and carried out with Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. He returns to orchestras reminiscent of The Cleveland, Cincinnati Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and the Philharmonia.
