Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra

The Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra (Finnish: Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat, YS) is a symphony orchestra resident in Helsinki, Finland.

YS was founded in 1926. It is a full-sized symphony orchestra, and performs concerts and tours both at home in Finland and abroad and takes part in various academic festivities.

History The Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat can trace its roots back to the year 1747, when the Akateeminen Kapelli (the Academic Capella) was founded at the Turku Academy. After the great fire of Turku in 1827, the university moved to Helsinki, taking the orchestra with it. From 1868 until 1926, the orchestra was run as a department of the University of Helsinki, under the name of Akadeeminen Orkesteri (the Academic Orchestra). In 1926, the Academic Orchestra gained its independence and became the Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat.

Conductors A number of world-famous Finnish conductors started their careers as principal or assistant conductor of the Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat, including Paavo Berglund, Okko Kamu and Susanna Mälkki.

Principal conductors of Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat Conductor Dates Toivo Haapanen 1926–1936 Jussi Jalas 1936–1946 Erik Cronvall 1946–1966 Leif Segerstam 1966–1967 Kari Tikka 1967–1972 Ilpo Mansnerus 1972–1974 Ylermi Poijärvi 1974–1976 Alf Nybo 1976–1979 Esa-Pekka Salonen 1979–1980 Petri Sakari 1980–1985 Markus Lehtinen autumn 1983, 1985–1988 Tuomas Pirilä 1988–1990 Michael Adelson 1990–1992 John Storgårds 1992–1996 Tuomas Rousi 1996–2001 Jyri Nissilä 2001–2003 David Searle 2003–2007 Mikk Murdvee 2007–2017Tomas Djupsjöbacka2017–2022Aku Sorensen2022–

References

External links