Orchestras are known by their sound, assuming that they have one that is recognisable. The Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra certainly does, and one which even the uninitiated will quickly learn to identify. Although describing a sound in words is virtually impossible, that of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra is beyond all doubt its strongest distinguishing feature. Cultivating it has been one of the Orchestra’s basic missions right from the very beginning, and spotting it inevitably brings immense pleasure. The vision of both the conductor and of every member of the Orchestra is singularly clear in this respect.

With its unique sound and intensity of interpretation, the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra provides the listener with the keys to hearing and understanding music in a new way: freely and spontaneously, unhampered by any preconceived ideas or schools.

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Juha Kangas founded the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra in 1972 and was Music Director of the orchestra until the end of 2008. He studied violin at the Sibelius Academy with Onni Suhonen and then spent five years playing the viola in the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. After that he became a lecturer at the Conservatory of Central Ostrobothnia during wihich time he founded the OCO. Since 2001 Juha Kangas has been Principal Guest Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. He also maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor in several orchestras in Finland and the Baltic countries.

In addition to his amply documented interest in contemporary repertoire, Juha Kangas has also made a name for himself as a dedicated interpreter of baroque music and Viennese classicism. In 1992 he was awarded the State prize for music, in 1998 the Latvian Grand Music Prize and the Finland Prize, and in 1999 the Estonian Heino Eller Prize.

Petri Kumela studied at the Helsinki Conservatory with Juan Antonio Muro and in Germany with Franz Halász, graduating from the Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg-Augsburg in summer 2000 with the honourable mention ‘Summa cum Laude’. For two years in succession he was awarded a rare DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship to continue studying in the masterclass of Halász. He was the first guitarist to be accepted for the prestigious Meisterklassen study programme and obtained the diploma from this with distinction in 2002. To complement these studies he has also attended masterclasses with such teachers as Leo Brouwer, Oscar Chiglia, Alirio Díaz, Eduardo Egüez and David Russell.

Winner of the international Scandinavian Guitar Festival and Stafford Classical Guitar Recital competitions, Petri Kumela has appeared outside Finland in many European countries, South America, the United States and Japan. At home in Finland he has performed at numerous festivals and in many concert series, such as the Mikkeli Music Festival, the Katrina concert series in Ĺland, the Summer Sounds festival of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, at Oulunsalo Soi and at the Musica nova Helsinki festival of contemporary music. His first disc, Recital, was released in 2002. In addition to giving solo recitals he is an extremely active chamber musician, has appeared in the ranks of Avanti! and the Tampere Raw chamber ensemble, with Izumi Tateno, Erkki Rautio and Julius Berger and with the Eusia and Tempera String Quartets. His engagements for 2008 include tours in South America and Japan.

An artist with a special commitment to contemporary music, Petri Kumela has premiered many works both in Finland and abroad. Among the composers who have dedicated works to him are Paavo Korpijaakko, Jan Vainio, Riikka Talvitie and Pehr Henrik Nordgren. His partnership with Nordgren has resulted in six new additions to the Finnish repertoire for various instrumental combinations, from a solo work to a concerto. His disc Spellbound Tones (ABCD 218) of works by Pehr Henrik Nordgren was released to great critical acclaim in autumn 2005. His latest recording, featuring the music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach transcribed for the guitar, was released in September of 2007.

Petri Kumela teaches at the Helsinki Conservatory and the Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia.

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