This week, Nicholas will conduct the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (FRSO) in two concerts on the 14 and 15 of February at the Helsinki Music Centre. Nicholas first debuted with the orchestra in 2017 and will return to the FRSO as their Chief Conductor in 2021, becoming the first non-Finnish conductor to hold the position in the orchestra’s 90-year history.
The first concert will see Nicholas conduct Kalevi Aho Symphonic Dances and Thomas Adès Violin Concerto Concentric Paths Op. 23 with violinist Pekka Kuusisto, with whom Nicholas has worked with many times. This sold out concert will finish with Rachmaninoff’s last completed work, Symphonic Dances Op. 45, a lyrical work said to reflect on the composer’s memories of Russia. Before going on to conduct the Adès Violin Concerto and Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Nicholas will open the second concert with Mozart Ballet Music to Idomeneo KV 367.
The performance on 14 February will be livestreamed on YLE at 5pm local time, click here to watch.