Seinäjoki City Orchestra

Seinäjoki City Orchestra

The Seinäjoki City Orchestra was founded in 1936. Its conductors have included Seppo Laamanen, Eino Haipus, Antti Vainio and Atso Almila. In the Years 2010 – 2014 conductor Tuomas Rousi was appointed orchestra´s artistic director. From year 2015 a new system of artistic direction was created, The Artistic Trio/Directors, which consists of two musicians from the orchestra, the Managing Director and Executive Director.

The orchestra holds its concerts in the 410-seat Seinäjoki Hall renowned for its splendid acoustics. Chamber music is a notable feature of the orchestra’s repertoire, and the string and wind quintets made up of the orchestra’s nucleus players give frequent concerts of chamber music both classical and contemporary. The full-time members of the orchestra are joined for symphony concerts by professional musicians.

In addition to its own chamber music and symphony concerts the orchestra has appeared in opera performances by the Seinäjoki City Theatre and Opera Society. Since 2000 it has also been the orchestra called upon for performances of opera at the Ilmajoki Music Festival and is a familiar visitor also at the Korsholm Music Festival. It can be heard at the annual Tango Festival in Seinäjoki and in major works for the church, when it accompanies local and around choirs. The Seinäjoki City Orchestra has a close and regular partnership with the Vaasa City Orchestra, and together they give 2–3 concerts a year. Outside Finland the chamber music ensembles have appeared in, among others, Russia, Italy, Germany, Vietnam, Spain and Argentina. The Seinäjoki City Orchestra have organized Chamber Music Seinäjoki – International Chamber Music Composition Contest.