Ensemble

Avanti! Chamber Orchestra

The Avanti! Chamber Orchestra was founded at the initiative of Esa-Pekka Salonen and Jukka-Pekka Saraste in 1983. It was founded to satisfy a need for high-quality ensemble work by enthusiastic and highly skilled musicians, and because it was recognized that a great deal of contemporary music and other rare repertoire would remain unperformed otherwise. Avanti! has responded admirably to the challenge that it set itself: many new musical ideas in Finland have been channelled through it.

Since 1986, the Orchestra has held a music festival of its own, Suvisoitto ("Summer Sounds"), every summer in Porvoo. Avanti! is constantly on the move: it has become one of the most active ambassadors of Finnish music abroad. The renowned Finnish clarinettist Kari Kriikku has been Artistic Director of Avanti! since 1998.