Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra tours Japan and South Korea

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra undertakes an extensive tour of Japan and South Korea this October with Chief Conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, visiting ten cities and performing eleven concerts between 9 and 22 October, managed by Maestro Arts. It includes the orchestra’s first performance in South Korea and a return to Japan after 25 years.

Founded in 1882, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra has a particularly close connection with Sibelius, giving the first performances of most of his major symphonic works with the composer himself conducting, and his music features prominently throughout the tour programmes.

The orchestra serves as cultural ambassador for Finland and the city of Helsinki, and the tour coincides with key business networking and cultural exchange events in both Japan and South Korea. Orchestra director Jari Eskola said, ‘We are particularly proud to present the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra at this moment in our history, as we approach the orchestra’s 150th anniversary.’

The Japanese leg opens on 9 October at Takasaki Arts Theatre and continues to Osaka, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Ueda and Yokohama, including performances at Suntory Hall and Tokyo Opera City. The orchestra will be joined for most of the Japanese concerts by pianist Hayato Sumino, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto no.3 alongside Sibelius's Symphony no.2 and extracts from Pelléas et Mélisande.

The orchestra then travels to South Korea, giving concerts in Daegu, Daejeon and Seoul from 20 to 22 October. Saraste will be joined by Korean violinist Inmo Yang, winner of the 2022 International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition.