Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra

The Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra (Finnish: Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat, YS) is a symphony orchestra resident in Helsinki, Finland.

YS was founded in 1926. It is a full-sized symphony orchestra, and performs concerts and tours both at home in Finland and abroad and takes part in various academic festivities.

History

The Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat can trace its roots back to the year 1747, when the Akateeminen Kapelli (the Academic Capella) was founded at the Turku Academy. After the great fire of Turku in 1827, the university moved to Helsinki, taking the orchestra with it. From 1868 until 1926, the orchestra was run as a department of the University of Helsinki, under the name of Akadeeminen Orkesteri (the Academic Orchestra). In 1926, the Academic Orchestra gained its independence and became the Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat.

Conductors

A number of world-famous Finnish conductors started their careers as principal or assistant conductor of the Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat, including Paavo Berglund, Okko Kamu and Susanna Mälkki.

Principal conductors of Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat

Conductor	Dates
Toivo Haapanen	1926–1936
Jussi Jalas	1936–1946
Erik Cronvall	1946–1966
Leif Segerstam	1966–1967
Kari Tikka	1967–1972
Ilpo Mansnerus	1972–1974
Ylermi Poijärvi	1974–1976
Alf Nybo	1976–1979
Esa-Pekka Salonen	1979–1980
Petri Sakari	1980–1985
Markus Lehtinen	autumn 1983, 1985–1988
Tuomas Pirilä	1988–1990
Michael Adelson	1990–1992
John Storgårds	1992–1996
Tuomas Rousi	1996–2001
Jyri Nissilä	2001–2003
David Searle	2003–2007
Mikk Murdvee	2007–

External links

• Official website