July 17, 2024, 20:00
Great Hall

Iveta Apkalna and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

Artists:
Iveta Apkalna, organ
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Olli Mustonen (Finland)

Programme:
Alexander Lyadov “Kikimora”
Francis Poulenc “Concerto for organ, string orchestra and timpani in G minor”
Jean Sibelius 7th Symphony and the symphonic poem “Finland”

On 17 July, the symphonic music programme will feature organist Iveta Apkalna, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and Finnish conductor Olli Mustonen, an unconventional figure in Nordic music. The programme will include Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, Timpani and Strings – a multi-coloured opus in which baroque drama and romantic nostalgia alternate with sparkling joyfulness and gracefulness. The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra will perform Anton Lyadov’s symphonic poem Kikimora and the Seventh Symphony of the great Scandinavian symphonist Jean Sibelius.

Performers

Iveta Apkalna

Iveta Apkalna

Organ

Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna is considered one of the leading instrumentalists in the world. Since 2017 she has served as the titular organist of the Klais organ at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. For the January 2017 opening of the hall she took part in the two world premieres of the evening: Wolfgang Rihm’s Triptychon und Spruch in memoriam Hans Henny Jahnn with Thomas Hengelbrock and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and Jörg Widmann’s ARCHE with Kent Nagano and the Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg. In September 2018 Berlin Classics released the album “Light & Dark”, the first solo album recorded on the Klais organ at the Elbphilharmonie.

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) is one of the cornerstones of Latvian national culture. Founded in 1926 as the Riga Radio Centre Orchestra, the LNSO has borne its current name since 1990. The orchestra is a six-time winner of the Grand Music Award, Latvia’s highest honour in classical music. In May 2022, Finnish Tarmo Peltokoski became the Music and Artistic Director of the LNSO. In recent years, the LNSO has performed at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Grand Théâtre of Aix-en-Provence, among many other important European concert halls. The orchestra has participated in the Festival de La Roque-d'Anthéron in France, the Bratislava Music Festival in Slovakia and has taken the stage in Germany, Switzerland, and the Baltic States.

Olli Mustonen

Olli Mustonen

Conductor

Olli Mustonen

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Olli Mustonen has a unique place on today’s music scene. Following the tradition of great masters such as Rachmaninov, Busoni and Enescu, Mustonen combines the roles of his musicianship as composer, pianist and conductor in an equal balance that is quite exceptional, often bringing them together in one fascinating triple role performance. This season, he continues his position of Principal Guest Conductor of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra where he combines orchestral concerts with chamber music and recitals.