Konzertdirektion Hörtnagel Berlin GmbH

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 orchestras including the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic, Tapiola Sinfonietta and the Finnish National Opera Orchestra. She has also conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera, Norrköping Symphony, Malmö Opera Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony, Gävle Symphony, Orchestra of Norrlands Operan, Västeras Sinfonietta, Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Iceland Symphony, Odense Symphony, Trondheim Symphony, Staatsorchester Braunschweig, Jena Philharmonic, Bochum Symphony and Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.

Anna-Maria Helsing was Assistant Conductor at the Finnish National Opera for Kung Karls jakt by Fredrik Pacius and at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in 2006/07. In 2008 she made her debut at the Finnish National Opera with Adriana Mater by Kaija Saariaho. She subsequently led the world premiere of the opera Hallin Janne by Jukka Linkola with the Jyväskylä Sinfonia; Gianni Schicchi/Cavalleria Rusticana in Oulu; Cimarosa's Il Matrimonio Segreto at the Savonlinna Opera Festival 2011; Madame Butterfly at the Tampere Opera in 2013 and Bernstein's Candide at the Opera Vaasa, as well as Magnus-Maria by Katarina Eiriksdottir on tour in Scandinavia in 2014 and 2015. In 2017 she led the new production of Leevi Madetoja's The Ostrobothnians at the Tampere Opera.

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

Anna-Maria Helsing began her career as a violinist, leading chamber orchestras before serving as conductor of the Wegelius Chamber Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Pietarsaari Sinfonietta. She has attended masterclasses with Jorma Panula, Vladimir Jurowski and John Carewe.

Concurrent to her studies in the class of Leif Segerstam, the Finnish conductor was chosen to take part in the International Conductor's Academy of the Allianz Cultural Foundation under the guidance of 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.

Anna-Maria Helsing received her violin diplomas from the Conservatory of Pietarsaari and at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz.

Season 2017/18

News

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 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".

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).

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 conducts Nordic Chamber Orchestra

Anna-Maria Helsing is again on the rostrum of the Nordic Chamber Orchestra on 28 and 29 November for an Opera Gala in Sundsvall conducting works by Mozart, Bizet,

Johann Strauss, Puccini, Verdi, Borodin, Mascagni, Elgar among others.

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.

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