Pro Avanti! Association has appointed Annika Mustonen as Executive Director of the Avant Chamber Orchestra and the Suvisoitto Festival. Ms Mustonen has held the position on a temporary basis since August 2017.
Annika Mustonen is a cultural producer from Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences and a musician (pop/jazz vocals) from
Prior to Avant, Mustonen has worked as a freelancer at several art events across the country, and as the executive producer of the pioneering We Jazz event in Helsinki in 2013-2015. He is also the producer of Jazz-Espa 2010-2018.
The new Executive Director knows what he is doing and enjoys Avant’s content-driven thinking. “Avanti! is an extremely interesting organisation, where music is made rigorously and from all eras. The most interesting thing is that music really is at the heart of everything we do. The works are always selected first and only then the performers. “, says Mustonen. He doesn’t abandon his own musicianship, but plays gigs when his main work schedule allows.
Launched in spring 2018, Pro Avanti! Association will continue the activities of the chamber orchestra Avant and the Suvisoitto Festival, which has been closed down due to financial difficulties. ry. Pro Avanti! “During the tumultuous 2017-18 season, Annika Mustonen managed the duties of Avant’s Executive Director with such Avanti! commitment and strong stress tolerance that it was an easy and pleasant task to appoint her as the permanent Executive Director”, says Pro Avanti! Association was an easy and straightforward decision to take on the role of Executive Director .
