© Timo Heikkala
© Heikki Tuuli
 © Timo Heikkala

Anna-Maria Helsing Conductor General Management

Anna-Maria Helsing has gained an outstanding reputation with leading Scandinavian orchestras and opera houses. From 2010 to 2013 Anna-Maria Helsing was Chief Conductor of the Oulu Symphony – the first-ever female conductor at the head of a Finnish symphony orchestra.

Within a short time the Finnish conductor has conducted all the major Finnish and Swedish orchestras including the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony and Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra. She also conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra, Iceland Symphony, Royal Danish Opera Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony, Odense Symphony, Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra among others.

Anna-Maria Helsing gave her debut at the Finnish National Opera with Adriana Mater by Kaija Saariaho in 2008. She has led a number of world premieres, most recently Momo at the Royal Danish Opera and Magnus-Maria by Karólína Eiríksdóttir on tour in Scandinavia. She has also performed established operas by Mozart, Cimarosa, Puccini, Mascagni, Madetoja and Bernstein at the Tampere Opera and Savonlinna Opera Festival to name but a few.

Anna-Maria Helsing feels a special affinity with the sound and style of modernism and contemporary music. Major upcoming highlights include her debuts with the Malmö Symphony and Orchestra of the Göteborg Opera and return visits to the Finnish Radio Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony, Iceland Symphony, Norrköping Symphony, Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta among others.

Anna-Maria Helsing began her career as a violinist (with diplomas from the Conservatory of Jakobstad and the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz), leading chamber orchestras before serving as Artistic Director of the Pietarsaari Sinfonietta and conductor of the Wegelius Chamber Orchestra. She has attended masterclasses with Jorma Panula, Vladimir Jurowski and John Carewe.

Just after finishing her studies in the class of Leif Segerstam at the Sibelius Academy, the Finnish conductor was chosen to take part in the International Conductor’s Academy of the Allianz Cultural Foundation under the guidance of among others Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel.

In 2011 Anna-Maria Helsing became the first conductor to be awarded the Louis Spohr Medal in Seesen (Germany). In 1999 she won the First Prize in the International Competition for 20th Century Music for Young Artists in Warsaw.

Season 2017/18

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Anna-Maria Helsing debuts with Malmö Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra on April 26 with the Scandinavian premiere of „Absent Illusions" for violin, viola and orchestra by Fredrik Högberg, Franz Berwald's "Estrella di Soria - Overture" and Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations".

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Gävle Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Gävle Symphony Orchestra in two concerts on 12 and 13 April featuring a Swedish-Finnish programme with works by Einojuhani Rautavaara, Emmy Lindström and Franz Berwald.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Nordic Chamber Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Nordic Chamber Orchestra in Sundsvall and Harnosänd in Sweden on 1 and 2 March. The programme features Tobias Broström's Cello Concerto, Uuno Klami's Suite for small orchestra and  Mozart's Symphony No. 41 Jupiter.

Anna-Maria Helsing at rostum of Pori Sinfonietta

Anna-Maria Helsing conduct the Pori Sinfonietta in Pori (Finland) on 8 February presenting following programme:  Andrea Tarrodi: Camelopardalis, Reinhold Glière: Harp Concerto op.74 and Einojuhani Rautavaara: Autumn gardens.

Anna-Maria Helsing in Jena

On 12 January Anna-Maria Helsing is at the rostrum of the Jena Philharmonic to conduct works by Brahms, Erik Esenvalds and Einojuhani Rautavaara

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut at Göteborg Opera

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the New Year's concert at the Gothenburg Opera on 5 January with a complete Leonard Bernstein programme featuring Overture Candide and excerpts of Wonderful town, Candide and West Side Story.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts premiere at Royal Danish Opera

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the premiere of Svitlana Azarova's Momo and the time thieves (direction: Elisabeth Linton) at the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. Further performances: 22.10., 29.10., 05.11.,19.11., 26.11., 03.12. and 10.12.2017.

Anna-Maria Helsing at rostrum of Västeras Sinfonietta

Anna-Maria Helsing leads a concert performance of Le Nozze di Figaro with Västeras Sinfonietta, Camerata InCantus choir and soloists in Västeras on 7 September.

Anna-Maria Helsing leads Le Nozze di Figaro with Västeras Sinfonietta

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts four performances of Le Nozze di Figaro with the Västeras Sinfonietta and Swedish singers in Marienhamn (Aland islands) from 18 - 21 August directed by Laura Ruohonen.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Avanti! Chamber Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra at Summer Sounds Festival in Porvoo Finland on 1 July. The programme features works by Eva Dahlgren and Emma Salokoski.

Anna-Maria Helsing at rostrum of Norrköping Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Norrköping Symphony on 21 October to conduct Brahms' Symphony No. 1, Lalo's Cello Concerto and Britta Byström's "Segelnde Stadt".

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to Iceland Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Iceland Symphony Orchestra again on 2 November with a contemporary icelandic programme featuring works by Anna Thorvalsdottir, Hildur Gudnadottir, Maria Huld Markan Sigfusdottir and Thuridor Jonsdottir.

Anna-Maria Helsing at rostrum of Tapiola Sinfonietta

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Tapiola Sinfonietta in Espoo on 16 and 17 November with the first performance of Outi Tarkiainen's saxophone concerto (soloist: Jukka Perko), Einojuhani Rautavaara's 'Cantus Arcticus' and Shostakovitch's Chamber Symphony in F op. 73a.

Anna-Maria Helsing debuts with Norwegian Radio Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra in Oslo on 4 May with Rachmaninov's The Rock, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony No. 7.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Leevi Madetoja opera in Tampere

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the new production of Leevi Madetoja’s opera “The Ostrobothnians” at the Tampere Opera (stage direction: Tuomas Parkkinen) on 10 February. Further performances: 12, 15, 18, 22, 25 February.

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to Iceland Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Iceland Symphony Orchestra on 19 January in Reykjavik with Jean Sibelius' Rakastava, Kaija Saariaho's Clarinet Concerto (soloist: Kari Kriikku) and Tchaikovsky's

Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique".

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Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra in Kokkola on 17 December with works by Arcangelo Corelli, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Jean Sibelius and Peteris Vasks among others.

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with Philharmonia Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall on 10 November within the series 'Music of Today'. The programme includes

Johannes Schollhörn Fantasia (UK premiere), Harrison Birtwistle Virelai, Edmund Finnis in situ and Betsy Jolas Lassus Ricercare (UK premiere).

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Anna-Maria Helsing conducts opera by Fredrik Högberg in Sweden

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the new production of Fredrik Högberg's chamber opera Stilla min eld with the Pitea Chamber Opera and Swedish chamber ensemble Norrbotten in Pitea on 15 October. Further performances: 18.10. Lulea, 22.10. Umea, 27.10. Sundsvall.

Anna-Maria Helsing at Gävle Symphony Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Gävle Symphony Orchestra on 25 August with Franz Berwald Estrella de Soria, Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 and Mozart Symphony No. 25 g minor KV 183.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Gothenburg Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Gothenburg Symphony on 12 March to conduct the programme 'Heaven and Earth' with works by Haydn, Beethoven, Wagner, Sibelius, Charles Ives etc.

Anna-Maria Helsing debuts at Norrlands Operan

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the orchestra of the Norrlands Opera in Umea (Sweden) on 21 January to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Leevi Madetoja’s Symphony No. 3

 

 

Anna-Maria Helsing at rostrum of Pori Sinfonietta

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Pori Sinfonietta in Pori (Finland) on 21 April with Jacques Ibert’s Hommage à Mozart, Mozart’s Symphonie Nr. 38 Prague as well as Saint-Saens‘ Violin Concerto No. 1 and Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Nobel Prize Ceremony concert

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm on 10 December in Stockholm.

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra on 7 and 8 October in Stockholm to conduct Ravel’s Bolero, Benjamin Britten's The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and Johan Williams' The Raiders March.

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to Helsingborg Symphony

Anna-Maria Helsing returns to the Helsingborg Symphony on 18 June with Jean Sibelius En Saga op. 9 , Carl Nielsen Aladdin Suite op. 34 and Sibelius Finlandia. 

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm on 6 June at the Swedish National Day with works by Bernstein, Gershwin, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Bizet, Minkus, C.M. Bellman and Gustav Nordqvist.

Helsing conducts Sibelius in Iceland

Anna Maria Helsing is at the podium of Iceland Symphony Orchestra in Reykjavik on 12 March . The programme includes works by Sibelius, Lindberg and Rodrigo. 

Finnish debut performance of Candide by Anna-Maria Helsing

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the new production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide at the Vaasa Opera in Finland on 9 January. Further performances take place on 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31 January, 6 and 7 February.

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Västeras Sinfonietta

Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Swedish Västeras Sinfonietta on 6 November in a programme which contrasts Nordic pieces as Lotta Wennäkoski’s Hava and Sibelius’ Pelléas and Mélisande with Richard Strauss Le bourgeois gentilhomme. 

Anna-Maria Helsing at the rostrum of Kammerakademie Potsdam

The Finnish conductor Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the Kammerakademie Potsdam on 11 October conducting Jean Sibelius’ Suite Rakastava, Mendelssohn’s

Symphony No. 1 c minor and Mozarts Piano Concerto C major KV 457 in Potsdam.The concert will be recorded and broadcasted on 20 November at 20.04 hrs on rbb-Kulturradio.

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Anna-Maria Helsing conducts in Gävle

Anna-Maria Helsing gives her debut with the Gävle Symphony Orchestra. The programme of the special concert for subsribers and invited guests on September 3 includes a dance suite from Hilding Rosenberg's Ballet op. 75, Mozart's Violin Concerto No 3 and Shostakovich's Ballet Suite No 1.

Press

  • Anna-Maria Helsing hailed for Tchaikovsky with Iceland Symphony

    The Tchaikovsky symphony No. 6 was far more majestic than Sibelius' Rakastava, from the dark opening and closing bars to the crazy climaxes in between. The conductor's interpretation was convincing, expressive and daring. The playing was secure and professional, but with much passion - just as it should sound. One almost danced out into the dark winter night afterwards. 

    Frettabladid, Jonas Sen Skrifar, 21.01.2017

     

     

  • Anna-Maria Helsing conducts Philharmonisches Orchester Hagen

    In Shostakovich's challenging Violin Concerto No. 2 Anna-Maria Helsing focusses on precise direction. The dialogues with the solo horn work out beautifully, the orchestra sounds brillantly (...). Bernstein's Symphonic Dances of West Side Story lead the whole orchestra truly to shine in the most variable colors in all sections under Anna-Maria Helsing.

    Der Westen, Monika Willer, 15.06.2016

  • Anna-Maria Helsing with Norrköping Symphony Orchestra

    In Jean Sibelius' En saga Anna-Maria Helsing drew out a rich, full tune and She also released a fine drive focusing on the motoric elements and simultaneously managed to draw out beautiful tender gestures." (...) Helsing has a sober style to her conducting, which never loses itself to unessential emotions - neither when wishing to show austere sincerity, nor when it comes to musical drama of the larger scale.

    Norrköpings Tidningar, Michael Bruze, 12.11.2015

  • Finnish first performance of Candide at Vaasa Opera

    For the successful realization of the musical part, we owe it to the Vaasa City Orchestra, playing under the elaborate direction of Anna-Maria Helsing.

    Keskipohjanmaa, Kari Pappinen, 11.01.2015

    Bernstein's charming, somewhat overly intellectual pastiche calls for virtuoso brilliance, and here Anna-Maria Helsing has done an excellent workmanship with the well-playing orchestra and the whole ensemble.

    Hufvudstadsbladet, Jan Granberg, 11.01.2015

  • Wennäkoski, Sibelius and Strauss in Västerås

    Older as well as new pieces were sensitively and carefully held together by Anna-Maria Helsing in the concert with the Västeras Sinfonietta. She has a guaranteed future on the conductor's podiums of the world.

    Vestmanlands Läns Tidning, Birgit Ahlberg-Hyse, 06.11.2014

  • Kammerakademie Potsdam under the direction of Anna-Maria Helsing

    Sibelius´ "Suite Rakastava" is articulated so distinctly under the direction of Anna-Maria Helsing, that it seems the instruments would "speak finnish". The ensemble sounds richly colored but tender and transparent at the same time. The austere melancholy never feels to be  exaggerated. At Mozart´s Klavierkonzert KV 467 Helsing elicited once again the best sides of the orchestra. The light sound of the strings of the Kammerakademie had its roots in a crystal clear piano - as we longed for so often. The piece starts with a playful march whose natural breathing tempo Anna-Maria Helsing got to the point.

     

    Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, Antje Rößler, 13.10.2014

  • Anna-Maria Helsing conducts the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

    The engaged and determined conductor Anna-Maria Helsing shaped a fine and vivid entity (...). Helsing and the orchestra were on fire in Hartmann’s Symphony No. 6.

    Hufvudstadsbladet, 13.12.2013

     

    Anna-Maria Helsing, yet another gifted Finnish conductor with a steadily rising career, presented an intelligent survey of this music, along with a symphony from Karl Amadeus Hartmann. In Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder Helsing provided a beautifully understated accompaniment, with excellent woodwind playing and clear chamber music textures.

    ResMusica, Derek Ho, 29.12.2013

  • Finnish concert programme in Jena

    With precise gestures Anna-Maria Helsing attracts the musician’s attention and takes them on an energetic, flexible journey. “Expo” by Magnus Lindberg was expressed in a prickling, handy crowed way. Presenting works by Jean Sibelius Anna-Maria Helsing led the audience to Finnish music origins, Lindberg long ago left behind. With “En Saga” op. 09 and the “Karelia-Suite” op. 11 programmatic early works by the Romantic were performed, which Anna-Maria Helsing understands to shape in all their subtleties out of the attentively reacting and impulsively performing orchestra.

    Thüringer Allgemeine, Hans-Jürgen Thiers, 05.10.2013

  • Puccini Madame Butterfly at Tampere Opera

    Anna-Maria Helsing made a mature interpretation of Puccini's music. Her choice of tempi and ability to give time for the characteristic Puccini-phrasings, showed sense of taste. The balance between the orchestra, the soloists and the choir was in harmony throughout the performance.  Anna-Maria Helsing conducted the performance with an infectious energy, that the performers adapted were affected by. The Tampere Philharmonic sounded splendidly and the well-played solos were highly enjoyable. Madame Butterfly once again proved the high level of Tampere Opera's productions.

    Österbottens tidning, 21.03.2013