Naantali Music Festival Artistic Director.

DIRECTOR

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

PROFESSOR

Soloist with world's leading orchestras.

VIOLINIST

Alexander Liebreich
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)
Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35
Elina Vähälä, violin

Alexander von Zemlinsky (1871-1972)
Lyric Symphony, Op. 18
Johanna Winkel, soprano
Michael Nagy, baritone

Listen on:

2023

Under the direction of its Chief Conductor Alexander Liebreich, the National Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio (NOSPR) is the leading ensemble in the country and is one of Europe’s major radio orchestras. As cultural ambassadors with a rich tradition, the orchestra has made its mark through performances of Polish composers, as is impressively documented in the three-part CD cycle that features works by Karol Szymanowski and Witold Lutoslawski and was released by Accentus Music between 2015 and 2017.

On this new recording, Karol Szymanowski‘s Violin Concerto, played by Finnish violin virtuoso Elina Vähälä, is paired with the impressive Lyric Symphony of Austrian composer and conductor Alexander von Zemlinsky that builds a bridge between lyric poetry and the grand orchestral symphonies. The excellent soloists of this recording are Johanna Winkel, soprano, and Michael Nagy, baritone.

Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35

Jaakko Kuusisto
Lahti Symphony Orchestra

John Corigliano (b. 1938)
Violin Concerto 'The Red Violin'
Elina Vähälä, violin

Jaakko Kuusisto (1974–2022)
Violin Concerto, Op. 28
Elina Vähälä, violin

Listen on:

2013

Under the direction of the late composer and conductor Jaakko Kuusisto, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra presents a recording that is deeply personal to the soloist. This album marks a significant collaboration between Elina Vähälä and Kuusisto, showcasing a unique synergy where the conductor is also the composer of one of the featured works.

The centerpiece is John Corigliano’s "The Red Violin" Concerto, expanded from his Oscar-winning film score into a virtuoso orchestral work. It is paired with Jaakko Kuusisto’s own Violin Concerto, written specifically for Vähälä. Her performance balances the cinematic drama of Corigliano with the rhythmic intensity and Nordic lyricism of Kuusisto’s writing, confirming her status as one of the work’s definitive interpreters.

Corigliano & Kuusisto: Violin Concertos

Olari Elts
Kymi Sinfonietta

Kalevi Aho (b. 1949)
Violin Concerto No. 2
Elina Vähälä, violin

Cello Concerto No. 2
Jonathan Roozeman, cello

Listen on:

2023

This recording presents two major recent works by the renowned Finnish composer Kalevi Aho, performed by the Kymi Sinfonietta under the baton of Olari Elts. Both concertos were written specifically for this orchestra, taking advantage of its specific size and acoustic properties.

Elina Vähälä features as the soloist in the Violin Concerto No. 2, a work composed with her specific artistry in mind. The concerto is characterized by its broad lyrical arches and intense virtuosity, balancing the solo violin against a transparent yet colorful orchestral backdrop. Pairing this with the Cello Concerto No. 2, played by rising star Jonathan Roozeman, the album offers a comprehensive look at Aho’s modern concerto style-deeply expressive, technically demanding, and rooted in the Finnish tradition.

Kalevi Aho: Violin Concerto No. 2 & Cello Concerto No. 2

Elina Vähälä, violin
Niek de Groot, double bass

Works by:
Krzysztof Penderecki (1933–2020)
Isang Yun (1917–1995)
Jaakko Kuusisto (1974–2022)
Erkki-Sven Tüür (b. 1959)
Alfred Huber (b. 1962)
György Kurtág (b. 1926)
Wolfgang Rihm (b. 1952)

Listen on:

2018

When the highest and lowest members of the string family meet, two distinct sound spheres collide. For this adventurous recording, Elina Vähälä joins forces with the celebrated Dutch double bass soloist Niek de Groot to explore a repertoire that demands both "acrobatic abilities" and deep musical sensitivity.

The album features seven works by contemporary composers, including Krzysztof Penderecki, Wolfgang Rihm, and a piece by Jaakko Kuusisto ("Miniö") dedicated to the duo. Instead of merely contrasting the instruments, Vähälä and de Groot create a unified "super-instrument," navigating through the intense dialogue of Rihm’s Dyade and the meditative textures of Isang Yun. Critics have praised the recording for its "impeccable accuracy" and the "sophistication worthy of the best musical dialogues."

Duos for Violin & Double Bass