Category: News

Avanti starts a collaboration with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten.

Avanti is delighted to start working with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten. Viksten’s thoughtful and visionary handprint will be widely visible in Avanti’s visual identity and events this season.

Anna-Maria Viksten is a Helsinki-based photographer and the trusted name of creative potrait photography, Valotus by Ama. With a long background in classical music, she moves naturally between the different facets of music photography while maintaining her own recognizable style. A curious way of living is evident in her images and work.

“When working with Avant, I expect to draw from the diverse musical content to create a visual world that follows the abstract nature of the music, with the look and feel of Avant. A world that organically creates a sense of identity and is in itself something to stop at. Inspired by both the personal and collective essence of the music Avant performs. I bring to life visually what music already does so naturally: evoke emotions in us. It is with great excitement and curiosity that I embark on this collaboration. ”
-Anna-Maria Viksten

Find out more:

www.valotusbyama.com
Anna-Maria Viksten on Instagram

Avanti starts a collaboration with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten.

Avanti is delighted to start working with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten. Viksten’s thoughtful and visionary handprint will be widely visible in Avanti’s visual identity and events this season.

Anna-Maria Viksten is a Helsinki-based photographer and the trusted name of creative potrait photography, Valotus by Ama. With a long background in classical music, she moves naturally between the different facets of music photography while maintaining her own recognizable style. A curious way of living is evident in her images and work.

“When working with Avant, I expect to draw from the diverse musical content to create a visual world that follows the abstract nature of the music, with the look and feel of Avant. A world that organically creates a sense of identity and is in itself something to stop at. Inspired by both the personal and collective essence of the music Avant performs. I bring to life visually what music already does so naturally: evoke emotions in us. It is with great excitement and curiosity that I embark on this collaboration. ”
-Anna-Maria Viksten

Find out more:

www.valotusbyama.com
Anna-Maria Viksten on Instagram

Avanti starts a collaboration with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten.

Avanti is delighted to start working with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten. Viksten’s thoughtful and visionary handprint will be widely visible in Avanti’s visual identity and events this season.

Anna-Maria Viksten is a Helsinki-based photographer and the trusted name of creative potrait photography, Valotus by Ama. With a long background in classical music, she moves naturally between the different facets of music photography while maintaining her own recognizable style. A curious way of living is evident in her images and work.

“When working with Avant, I expect to draw from the diverse musical content to create a visual world that follows the abstract nature of the music, with the look and feel of Avant. A world that organically creates a sense of identity and is in itself something to stop at. Inspired by both the personal and collective essence of the music Avant performs. I bring to life visually what music already does so naturally: evoke emotions in us. It is with great excitement and curiosity that I embark on this collaboration. ”
-Anna-Maria Viksten

Find out more:

www.valotusbyama.com
Anna-Maria Viksten on Instagram

Avanti starts a collaboration with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten.

Avanti is delighted to start working with photographer Anna-Maria Viksten. Viksten’s thoughtful and visionary handprint will be widely visible in Avanti’s visual identity and events this season.

Anna-Maria Viksten is a Helsinki-based photographer and the trusted name of creative potrait photography, Valotus by Ama. With a long background in classical music, she moves naturally between the different facets of music photography while maintaining her own recognizable style. A curious way of living is evident in her images and work.

“When working with Avant, I expect to draw from the diverse musical content to create a visual world that follows the abstract nature of the music, with the look and feel of Avant. A world that organically creates a sense of identity and is in itself something to stop at. Inspired by both the personal and collective essence of the music Avant performs. I bring to life visually what music already does so naturally: evoke emotions in us. It is with great excitement and curiosity that I embark on this collaboration. ”
-Anna-Maria Viksten

Find out more:

www.valotusbyama.com
Anna-Maria Viksten on Instagram

Avanti’s Two New Section Leaders and a Producer

In the spring of 2025, Avanti’s section leaders were joined by two leading figures of the Finnish music scene and a long-standing trusted member of the ensemble: pianist Emil Holmström and violinist Terhi Paldanius. In early summer, Anna Saarelainen also began as Avanti’s new producer.

EMIL HOLMSTRÖM, PIANO

Emil Holmström has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and in various ensembles across Europe, the Americas, Japan, and Australia. He regularly appears at Finnish music festivals and concert series, and has performed as a soloist not only with Avanti but also with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lapland Chamber Orchestra, and Sinfonia Lahti, in addition to recording numerous world premieres. Holmström is an active advocate for new music and, besides Avanti, is a member of defunensemble and Uusinta Ensemble. He also serves as the artistic director of PianoEspoo.

TERHI PALDANIUS, VIOLIN

Terhi Paldanius is a Finnish violinist. During her musical career, Paldanius has mostly performed chamber music, but she also contributes to versatility by playing as a soloist, in orchestras, on theatre stages and in many productions colliding different artistic disciplines.

In addition to Avanti, Paldanius is a member of the Kamus Quartet and Klimatkvartetten and one of the artistic directors of the Our Festival. This autumn, he will start as a violin teacher at Metropolia, thus realising her dream of becoming a teacher. Paldanius lives in Espoo with her family.

“I started working with Avanti more than ten years ago in the form of Suvisoitto. Little by little, there were concerts all year round and now becoming a section leader feels really nice! It’s great to be able to influence on the programmes a little bit, and I also want to cherish the work done by Eriikka Maalismaa.”

ANNA SAARELAINEN, PRODUCER

Anna Saarelainen is a cultural producer currently completing her Master’s degree in Arts Management at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts. The foundation is supported by professional studies in classical violin at the Kuopio Conservatory.

Saarelainen is an experienced and versatile producer. Her previous position was at a Central European agency, before Avanti! brought her back to Helsinki.

“While working abroad, I took on every gig I could fit into my time and budget. The spirit of doing, curiosity, openness, interdisciplinarity, and courage – getting excited together so you don’t stay on the bench. I think these are the factors that ensure quality and staying relevant. It’s wonderful to work in an environment like that. .

With Avanti, I think I’m in the right place at the right time.”

Chamber Orchestra Avanti! is known for its open-minded attitude, diverse repertoire and extensive network of collaborations. The orchestra varies in size from a single player to a small symphony orchestra, depending on the programme being performed. The orchestra is based in Helsinki, but concerts are given all over the country, and the annual Suvisoitto festival in Porvoo is one of Avant’s main events.

Avanti organises a wide variety of concert productions. The producer is involved in the planning and realisation of these events, together with the musicians, artistic director, executive director and professionals hired for each production. The producer is successful in his/her work when practical arrangements run smoothly and concert productions go ahead as planned from start to finish.

Working time

• Full-time (37,5 h/wk)
• Working hours vary depending on the production, and occasionally include evening and weekend work in connection with concerts

Workplace

• Avant’s office is located in Kaapelitehta, Helsinki
• Possibility of partial teleworking in office work
• For concert productions, jobs vary from

Hiring

2950 €/month + lunch benefit

To apply

The deadline for applications is 23.2.2025. We will also process applications during the application period.

Please send your free application to [email protected] and attach:

• CV
• Any other optional attachments (e.g. references, samples of work or other material relevant to the applicant)

Further information

[email protected]
+358 50 581 0409

Pianist Joonas Ahonen has been appointed as the new artistic director of the Avant Chamber Orchestra. The contract is for three years with an option for two additional years. Ahonen will take up his post in 2024 at the beginning of September. The first concert planned by him will be performed already on 5 November 2024 in the Temppeliaukio Church.

Joonas Ahonen studied at the Sibelius Academy under Tuija Hakkila and Liisa Pohjola. He was a member of the Klangforum Wien soloist ensemble for 12 years, which focuses on contemporary music. In 2023, Ahonen was appointed professor of piano at the Cologne University of Music and Dance. Performing as a soloist around the world, Ahonen is also an accomplished chamber musician, with established collaborations with violinists Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Pekka Kuusisto.

Joonas Ahonen knows Avant well. He has played in several chamber orchestra concerts both as a member of the ensemble and as a soloist. “Without the experience and versatile learning I gained at Avant, I would hardly have chosen to join Klangforum Wien. I am very grateful to Avant for this,” says Ahonen.

Joonas Ahonen sees his work in the field of new music as a social statement from the outset. “The society around us is so focused on economic discourse that it is personally important and refreshing for me to work for new music. My passion for the art form and promoting its accessibility takes precedence over the pursuit of financial gain. A key part of Avant’s social dimension is also the exceptional open-mindedness of its programming policy. I see it radiating a message of openness and open-mindedness, and a message of the importance of listening.”

The new artistic director’s contract includes not only planning but also solo performances together with Avant. “The job title could almost as well be Artistic Partner: for those concerts where the planning responsibility lies with others, my role is consultative. I value interactivity and look forward to working with the brilliant musicians at Avant.”

Ahonen, who settled in Finland in the spring, divides his time between Helsinki and Cologne. “The job at Avant fits this pattern very well.”

The previous artistic director of Avant Chamber Orchestra was clarinetist Kari Kriikku, who held the post for 25 years. Kriikku’s long and successful tenure came to an end when Avant had to adjust its finances and give up its full-time Artistic Director. Kriikku will continue as sound director of Avanti’s clarinet section.