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Kuopio Symphony Orchestra maintains the 110-year-old orchestra tradition as the largest professional symphony orchestra in Eastern Finland. The KSO performs mainly at the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall relishing its amazing acoustics – it has been the orchestra’s permanent home since the opening of the centre in 1985. The orchestra consists of 44 musicians representing well over 10 different nationalities from all over the world.
Symphonic repertoire forms the main core of the orchestra’s programme, whereas other genres such as chamber and entertainment music are also represented in many forms.
Music education projects play an important role: the KSO introduces various audience groups to the world of music with special concerts and events designed for them. Back in 2018 the orchestra’s second Godchild Project began and an entire age group of children born in Kuopio in 2017, Finland’s 100th anniversary, were invited; the second Godchild Project was concluded succesfully in January 2024. In addition, the orchestra is an active participant in many audience and outreach projects (for example, the Kuopio city Cultural education plan, national Art Testers project as well as an international Accessible Orchestras project).
Cooperation with other professional orchestras and choirs is an essential part of the orchestra’s activities. Whilst proudly upholding the traditions, the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra is an international, innovative ensemble with solid expertise, and also curiously operating across different genres and collaborating with Finnish top artists in entertainment, pop, and rock scenes both in concert halls and festivals. The orchestra also collaborates with local music classes and students. The KSO has been one of the co-producers of the Kuopio Opera and the accompanying orchestra in many other opera productions. In addition, the KSO has worked in close cooperation with various music festivals, among others the Savonlinna Opera Festival.
As of the beginning of August 2025 Kolja Blacher and Eugene Tzigane will act as First Conductors of the KSO. Atso Almila acts as the Second Conductor. In 2010 professor and maestro Jorma Panula was appointed as the orchestra’s Honorary Conductor.
Kuopio Symphony Orchestra has toured and given guest performances abroad, for example, in Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Japan and China. The orchestra has recorded for Warner Music / Finlandia Records, Octavia Records and Alba Records.
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