She is one of a clutch of supremely talented Finnish conductors, and in 2023 she became the first female chief conductor of a BBC orchestra.
Who is conductor Anna-Maria Helsing?
Who is Anna-Maria Helsing?
Anna-Maria Helsing is a Finnish-Swedish conductor, acclaimed for her performances with some leading Scandinavian orchestras and opera houses.
How old is Anna-Maria Helsing?
Helsing was born on 17 October 1971, in Södertälje, Sweden, and grew up in Munsala (now Nykarleby), Finland.
Did Helsing grow up in a musical family?
Very much so. Her mother was a pianist, while her father played the violin. She studied music at the conservatoire in Jakobstad, Finland, where she also took a violin teacher's degree in 1992.
Which orchestras has Anna-Maria Helsing performed with?
She has conducted many of the leading Scandinavian orchestras and opera houses. These include the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony and Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra.
From 2010 to 2013, she served as chief conductor of the Oulu Symphony - the first-ever female conductor at the head of a Finnish symphony orchestra.
In 2023, Helsing was appointed chief conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, where she'd been principal guest conductor since 2020. Another first here: Helsing was the first woman ever named as chief conductor of a BBC orchestra.
Helsing has also conducted the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in works including Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 and Dvořák's Symphony No. 8.
Who taught Anna-Maria Helsing?
From 2004 to 2007, Helsing studied at the Sibelius Academy under the Finnish conductor and composer Leif Segerstam and others. She later attended the International Conductor's Academy of the Allianz Cultural Foundation: her mentors there included Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel.
Is Anna-Maria Helsing Finish or Swedish?
She grew up in an area of Ostrobothnia, on Finland's west coast, where the majority speak Swedish as their first language. She says, 'I am a Swedish-speaking Finn in more ways than one. I feel almost equally at home in both countries but, like many Nordic people I know, I often talk about moving to southern Europe to get away from the long, cold and dark winters.'
Best Finnish conductors
Finland has a very fine tradition of classical music conductors. Other Finns to have made a huge impact on classical music include Sakari Oramo, Osmo Vänskä, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paavo Berglund, John Storgårds and, from the current generation, Klaus Mäkelä and 2023 BBC Music Magazine Personality of the Year Dalia Stasevska.
Pic: Timo Heikkala