Mayumi Kanagawa performs Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto of contrasts on 22nd of October

Published 13.10.2026

KSO conducted by First Conductor Kolja Blacher

The Kuopio Symphony Orchestra’s season concert on Thursday, 22nd of October at 6 pm will mark the first appearance in Kuopio of violinist Mayumi Kanagawa, who will perform Igor Stravinsky’s simultaneously sarcastic and tender Violin Concerto. The orchestra will be conducted at the Concert Hall of the Kuopio Music Centre by its First Conductor, Kolja Blacher, who is also Kanagawa’s former teacher. The programme also includes Boris Blacher’s Paganini Variations and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique Symphony.

The Kuopio Symphony Orchestra’s season concert presents three composers united by their shared origins. “Tchaikovsky, the father of Russian music, Stravinsky, who brought the Russian tradition into the 20th century and towards the Neo-Classical style and Boris Blacher, who is in the tradition of both Stravinsky and Tschaikovsky, bringing Russian music in touch with the Jazz on the 1920s. And meet the wonderful American-Japanese violinist Mayumi Kanagawa in her debut concert in Kuopio”, says Principal Conductor Kolja Blacher, who will lead the performance.

Opening the concert, Boris Blacher’s Paganini Variations is a spirited and virtuosic orchestral work that playfully reimagines Niccolò Paganini’s famous theme with freshness and ingenuity. Blacher transforms the original melody into a sequence of rhythmically sharp, humorous and surprising variations, allowing the orchestra to shine in its full spectrum of colours.

The evening’s solo work, Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, is full of contrasts. It is at once modern and timeless, orchestral yet chamber-like in its intimacy, sarcastic and gentle. “I actually first encountered the piece through Balanchine’s ballet, and imagine the storytelling of the bodies while playing. I’m very excited to explore this piece together with the musicians in Kuopio!”, enthuses soloist Mayumi Kanagawa. Based in Berlin, Kanagawa’s achievements include winning the George Enescu International Competition in 2024. She has performed with numerous major orchestras around the world and has appeared in Finland as a soloist with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. She plays the 1725 ‘Wilhelmj’ Stradivarius violin.

The concert concludes with Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique Symphony, an emotional and intensely expressive masterpiece. One of the most powerful and personal symphonies of the Romantic era, it combines the composer’s dramatic eloquence with heartbreaking beauty. Glowing melodies, stormy outbursts and quiet, introspective moments carry the listener through the full spectrum of human emotion toward one of the most moving finales in the symphonic repertoire.

The duration of the concert is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, including an interval.

Before the concert, at 5.30 pm at the Hall of Light, there will be a Pre-Talk open to all, with the artists of the evening.

On the same day, October 22nd at 12 pm, you can enjoy the orchestra’s open rehearsal, featuring musical highlights from the evening’s program under Kolja Blacher’s baton. Admission to the open rehearsal is free. In addition, Kuopio Music Centre’s Restaurant Oodi offers lunch at the Hall of Light between 11 am – 2 pm for €12.

Tickets: 34,60 € / 28,10 € senior citizens and groups min. 20 persons / 10,60 € children under the age of 16 and students.

The Copilot AI service was used in the production of this text.

KUOPIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Producer & Publicity Manager Elina Prepula, tel. 044 718 2364, elina.prepula(at)kuopio.fi
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