This multiple award-winning pianist, Born in 1970, is considered »Finland’s most internationally renowned jazz musician« (Jazz Finland). As a »natural phenomenon on the keys« (Jazzthing) Iiro Rantala is a singular master of his instrument, able to expertly combine virtuosity with intelligence, emotion and humour.

Rantala studied Jazz Piano at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, as well as classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music. In his home country, he is a superstar and musical ambassador with his own television programme. However, this excellent all-rounder is well-known far beyond the borders of Scandinavia, having won an ›Echo Jazz‹ in the category ›Best International Pianist‹. His very own Trio Töykeät, with whom he also played until 2006, has given 2300 concerts in over 40 countries and with his surprising ideas, has turned many genres – particularly the tango – completely upside down.

In addition, Rantala has composed for numerous theatre pieces, musicals and feature films and since 2011 has been at the helm of the Jazz Piano Festival in Kapsäkki. Alongside his work for fim, television, radio and also as solo artist, Rantala has also produced several great albums; the album ›Lost Heroes‹ released in 2011 was celebrated by the Süddeutsche Zeitung as a »Masterpiece« and the German Record Critics’ Award was only one of several prestigious awards it received. The Finn regularly performs with the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen and never fails to amaze his audience.

The violinist, conductor and composer Pekka Kuusisto is well known for his artistic freedom and refreshing approach to the repertoire. This versatile musician debuted as a violinist in 2022 with the Berlin Philharmoniker and will be appearing in 2023 with, among others, the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Featured among the most recent highlights as a conductor are appearances with the Concertgebouworkest, the hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen, whose ›Artistic Best Friend‹ he has been since 2017.

Since 2022, Pekka Kuusisto has been Artistic Director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and for the 2023/24 season, will also be the First Guest Conductor and Artistic Co-Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.

An enthusiastic advocate of contemporary music, who regularly premieres new works, and as a talented improvisor, Pekka Kuusisto reguarly collaborates with people from across the artistic spectrum. Unfazed by the conventional boundaries of genre, his most recent projects have included collaborations with composer and pianist Hauschka and percussionist Samuli Kosminen, Dutch neurologist Erik Scherder and electronic music pioneer Brian Crabtree, among others. In 2022, Kuusisto will release his first album as a conductor together with violinist Vilde Frang and the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen.