Jyväskylä Sinfonia

Jyväskylä Sinfonia

Jyväskylä Sinfonia is the jewel of classical music in Central Finland, with its heart beating in Jyväskylä and its sound resonating throughout the region. Each year, the orchestra’s more than 150 events reach over 40,000 listeners, ranging from symphony concerts to cross-genre special productions and musical events designed for audiences of all ages. The orchestra’s chief conductor is Italian maestro Lorenzo Passerini.

Jyväskylä Sinfonia was founded in 1955 and became municipal in 1965. Today, the orchestra employs 39 permanent musicians.

At the beginning of 2024, a new chapter in the orchestra’s history began when it moved into new premises at the Jyväskylä Paviljonki and its renovated Encore Hall. At the same time, plans for a purpose-built concert hall continue as part of the City of Jyväskylä’s cultural strategy. Jyväskylä Sinfonia performs actively throughout its home region and, in the summer, at festivals across Finland. Recent appearances have included the Jyväskylän Kesä festival and Mikkeli Music Festival. The orchestra also collaborates closely with Jyväskylä Opera, most recently in a production of Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.

Jyväskylä Sinfonia has recorded extensively with several different labels. The most recent release, a family album titled Uudenvuodenjuna (The New Year’s Train), was published in 2024 in collaboration with singer-songwriter Tuomo Rannankari. Among its recordings are Pekka Kostiainen’s Easter Oratorio Triduum Paschale and Requiem, albums with baritone Waltteri Torikka, Aulis Sallinen’s 80th-anniversary recording with the Meta4 quartet, as well as an entire album of Olli Virtaperko’s music.

Audience outreach is an essential part of Jyväskylä Sinfonia’s work, with active efforts to connect with listeners in many ways. The well-established Sinfonia on the Move week, held twice a year, brings the orchestra’s musicians close to people’s everyday lives: small ensembles perform in a wide range of venues, from care homes to shopping centers. Annual school concerts for sixth-graders and Taidetestaajat (Art Testers) introduce pupils to the world of the symphony orchestra and classical music.