HISTORY

Former conductors

Vuosi 1909

Elias Kahra (cello), Adolf Hällström (violin) and Mrs Alice Forstén (piano) form a trio which is later considered as the beginning of orchestral activities in Kuopio. The trio grows into a quartet as music teacher Ines Durchmann (viola) joins the ensemble.

1910

A so called Haus Orchestra of 13 musicians is founded. The conductor is Elias Kahra. Later on that year the Orchestra of the Association of the Music Friends of Kuopio (OAMFK) is founded on the initiative of the Association of the Music Friends of Kuopio. The number of musicians is 23.

14.12.1910

The Orchestra of the Association of the Music Friends of Kuopio gives its first public concert at the City Hall.

1921

After the war and Finland gaining its independence the conductor of the North-Savo regiment band, Mr. Jalmari Ripatti, gathers the remaining members of the orchestra and is committed to be the conductor of this new joint orchestra of the Music Friends' Orchestra and the regiment band.

1926

Maestro Ripatti leaves Kuopio when Mr. Elias Kahra takes his place and the post of the conductor once again. As Kahra retires he is followed by Bruno Koivunen. The orchestra continues to play even during the wars; the concerts are gradually taken also to schools and factories.

1939

30th Anniversary Concert is organised.

1945

The name of the Orchestra of the Association of the Music Friends of Kuopio is changed into Kuopio Orchestra. The orchestra works in turn under the baton of conductors Onni Palomäki, Arvo Uro, Paul Huttunen, Usko Meriläinen, Paavo Merisalo and Lauri Siimes (1962-1981).

1963

The North-Savo brigade moves from the city of Kuopio to Kajaani and therefore the members of the regiment band are also lost. The loss is changed into victory when a long standing goal is reached and a professional orchestra is founded. In the beginning the number of musicians is not more than 14 and therefore the orchestra is obligated to hire extras to enable performing symphonic music.

1965

The Kuopio Orchestra joins the Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras.

1976

The orchestra is municipalized and the name changed into Kuopio City Orchestra (later Kuopio Symphony Orchestra). Lauri Siimes is engaged as the first conductor of the City Orchestra. In want of a regular rehearsal and concert hall for several years the KSO is forced to 'tour' the city and the province when rehearsing and perfoming. The public is met at auditoriums of local schools, the city hall and the Kuopio university, the Theatre House studio as well as former barrack facilities and bomb shelters just to mention a few.

Siimes is followed by Nicholas Smith (England), Pertti Pekkanen, Robert Black (USA) whose season is terminated abruptly by his sudden death in November 1993. Atso Almila takes over until August 2000.

1985

The new concert and congress center, the Kuopio Music Centre is completed on the banks of the Kuopio Bay. The Kuopio Symphony Orchestra finds its new home in the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall where it performs regularly even today.

2000 alku

The japanese conductor Shuntaro Sato is engaged as the principal guest conductor of the KSO.

2003

Vello Pähn, originally from Estonia, takes over Sato since fall 2003.

2006

The Kuopio Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 30th Anniversary since the municipalization of the orchestra.