Tuomas Rousi

Viulu

Violinist and conductor Tuomas Rousi has performed as a chamber musician at numerous festivals in Finland and elsewhere in Europe. As a conductor, he has conducted the most important Finnish orchestras and also orchestras elsewhere in Europe and beyond.

Rousi studied violin at the Turku Conservatory, Paris and Switzerland, as well as at the Utrecht Conservatory and the Sibelius Academy. In the conducting class at the Sibelius Academy, he studied under Jorma Panula, Atso Almila, Eri Klas and Leif Segerstam. He currently conducts the Helsinki Concordia, the Metropolia Orchestra and the Kauniainen Orchestra. In the second international Sibelius Conducting Competition in 2000, he received the Yleisradio special prize and was among the top six.

Michel Runtz

Composer

The French-Swiss pianist and composer Michel Runtz began his classical piano studies in Paris, but became interested in composing at an early age. Encouraged by his teachers, he began to search for his own musical language. Runtz is known as a versatile and experimental composer. He has sought aesthetic influences from, for example, the visual arts, and has explored the integration of light elements into his compositions. Among visual artists, he was particularly impressed by the surrealist painter Paul Devaux, with whom he became friends and to whom he has dedicated his works.

Michel Runtz's compositions are popular in the repertoire of international piano competitions. Runtz has founded the renowned Fribourg International Piano Competition for Young Pianists and the Shanghai Sino-Swiss Piano Competition. Both of these competitions focus on new piano music. Runtz teaches and lectures diligently and has worked as a teacher in his hometown of Fribourg, as well as at the conservatories of Shanghai, Geneva, Strasbourg and Ruiel-Malmaison.

Iina Helander

Visual Artist

In addition to being an active Visual Artist Iina Helander is a prominent figure in the cultural life of Iitti. Her paintings, aquarelles and art candles have been seen in more than 60 exhibitions in Finland and abroad. Helander’s art is often dreamlike, as the light and intense colours are essential. 

Helander studied art in Savonlinna Art College, Free Art School and the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. When young she aimed to be a musician, but the violin bow was soon replaced by a paintbrush. Helander has worked as a Gallerist and had an arts and crafts company for 25 years. Presently she teaches arts and crafts as well as actively acts in amateur theatres. In 2014 she was given the Iitti Cultural Prize.

Photo: Veera Konsti

Asko Heiskanen

Clarinet

Asko Heiskanen has started his clarinet playing in his hometown Kuopio in Finland and continued it in the Sibelius Academy and in the Conservatoire Superieur de Geneve. He has also been studying chamber music with professor Ralf Gothóni and historical clarinets with Lorenzo Coppola. He has achieved success in competition as well, most notably the first prize in Crusell clarinet competition in 1995. Heiskanen has performed as a soloist with orchestras and as a chamber musician in many music festivals. Since 1996 Asko Heiskanen has been member of the Tapiola Sinfonietta –chamber orchestra. He also  plays historical clarinets and chalumeaus with Ensemble Schrat, Trio Origo, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra and Finnish Baroque Orchestra.

Photo: Esko Keski-Oja