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

Sami Ruusuvuori

Conductor

Doctor of Music Sami Ruusuvuori serves as Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Police Symphonic Band. Ruusuvuori has previously worked as the conductor of the Representative Orchestra of the President of the Republic, the Guards Band and the Chief Conductor of the Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces. He has a deep understanding of classical, jazz and commercial music which has allowed him to work with many of Finland’s best musicians. 

Ruusuvuori is a strong proponent of new music and has commissioned and premiered many new pieces. Ruusuvuori completed his doctorate in music in the spring of 2022 with a thesis on the Symphonic wind band and the European repertoire composed for it. His research has attracted widespread international interest. Since 2023, Ruusuvuori has been President of the Finnish Wind Band Association and from 2024 on the Board of the World Association of Symphony Orchestras and Ensembles.

Kuva: Tommy Levy

Tomas Nuñez

Cello

Tomas Nuñez began his cello studies at the Åland Music Institute at the age of six. He continued his studies at the Turku Conservatory and later at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. In 2010 he won first prize at the XI Cello Competition in Turku. He was also rewarded for the best performance of the work commissioned for the competition and voted as the public's favorite. 

Nuñez performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician and has played with orchestras such as the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, the Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Sinfonia Lahti and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra. He has also recorded and premiered many chamber music and solo works. Since 2017 he has been the Principal Cellist in the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. 

Nuñez plays a Lorenzo & Tomaso Carcassi cello from 1779, owned by the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE.

Katariina Ruokonen

Viola

Born in Iitti, Katariina Ruokonen is trained as both a violinist and a viola player. She began her studies at the Pohjois-Kymi Music Institute, and completed her professional degree at the Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences with Anatoli Melnikov and Ulla Kekko. Ruokonen has also studied violin at the Liszt Academy in Budapest under Professor Mária Vermes. She has played in several different orchestras and has given concerts with them, for example in China, Japan and various parts of Europe. Ruokonen currently works as a viola player at the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and also plays in chamber music ensembles.

Photo: Tommi Käppi