Kymi Sinfonietta has appointed conductor Nathanaël Iselin as its Artistic Partner from the autumn season 2026 onwards. The contract is for two years and includes an option for one additional year. Iselin will plan and conduct four to five concerts per year; on average, this means he will conduct two concerts during the concert season as well as one additional concert during the year. Jukka Perko’s work as the orchestra’s second Artistic Partner will also continue in the future, focusing on jazz and rhythm music; he was appointed to the role from the autumn season 2023. Going forward, the orchestra will therefore have two Artistic Partners.
Since the autumn season 2023, Kymi Sinfonietta’s artistic planning has been based on collaboration with Artistic Partners. These individuals develop different areas of the orchestra’s work from the perspective of their own styles and fields of expertise. For some time, the orchestra has been seeking an Artistic Partner for its core area of expertise, namely the development of orchestral sound and repertoire content within Western art music (classical music), and this search has now reached a positive conclusion.
Iselin has already appeared as a guest conductor with Kymi Sinfonietta on several occasions: his first visit took place in the autumn season 2023 and the second last year. He shared first prize in the 2021 Jorma Panula Conducting Competition, which brought wide international attention to his conducting work. At that time, he also came to the attention of Kymi Sinfonietta and was soon invited to conduct the orchestra.
Iselin comments on his appointment as follows:
“I first conducted the Kymi Sinfonietta in 2023, leading a wonderful program of Mozart, Wagner, and Schumann with prize-winning pianist Piotr Pawlak. From the very first rehearsal, I felt an immediate and genuine connection with the musicians. The atmosphere on stage was warm and collaborative, and it was clear that everyone shared a deep passion for music and a commitment to performing at the highest level. I believe the audience sensed this enthusiasm as well, and the two concerts we gave together were a true joy.
It was therefore a great pleasure to return in 2025 for another concert, this time alongside the brilliant violinist Elina Vähälä, beloved by the Kymi audience. The experience reinforced my appreciation for the orchestra and its musicians, and I could not have been more thrilled when I was subsequently offered the role of Artistic Partner.
I am filled with excitement and have many creative projects in mind, which I look forward to sharing with Kymi Sinfonietta’s audience in the months to come!”
➜ Iselin’s full statement can be read here.
Kymi Sinfonietta is enthusiastic about the forthcoming collaboration. Managing Director Inka Puhakka comments:
“Orchestras often invite interesting conductors to lead them, and based on these experiences, a suitable candidate may be invited into an artistic partnership. In the case of Kymi Sinfonietta, we tested a few excellent conductors and gathered feedback from the musicians after the concerts they conducted. Nathanaël Iselin was found to be pleasant, an outstanding musician, efficient, encouraging of chamber-music-style playing, and a bright, energetic personality. We are therefore truly delighted to begin an Artistic Partner period with Nathanaël Iselin, and to continue our collaboration with Jukka Perko. We would also like to thank Topi Lehtipuu for his contribution to the development of the orchestra’s activities.”
French-born Nathanaël Iselin won the prestigious Jorma Panula Conducting Competition in 2021, at which time he was also awarded the orchestra’s special prize. Iselin has conducted, among others, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Copenhagen Philharmonic, the Opéra Orchestre Montpellier, and the Stockholm Folkopera. He has also served as Resident Conductor of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. By background, Iselin is a percussionist and pianist.
Iselin’s studies in orchestral conducting have taken place at the Sibelius Academy (under the guidance of Sakari Oramo), the Paris Conservatory, Zurich University of the Arts, and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He has studied withand assisted renowned conductors such as Susanna Mälkki, Mariss Jansons, Michael Tilson Thomas, Antonio Pappano, Vasily Petrenko, Thomas Søndergård, and Jaap van Zweden. During his studies in Paris, Iselin became deeply familiar with and fond of French Impressionism and works such as Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Ravel’s La Valse; in Finland, he developed a love for the music of Sibelius.
Kymi Sinfonietta began its activities on 1 January 1999, when the city orchestras of Kotka and Kouvola were merged at the end of 1998. The orchestra is maintained by Kymenlaakson Orkesteri Oy, co-owned by the cities of Kotka (2/3) and Kouvola (1/3). Kymi Sinfonietta’s wide-ranging and highly acclaimed repertoire, together with its high artistic standards and collaborations with leading Finnish and international artists, have attracted a strong and loyal audience. The orchestra’s first Artistic Director was Juha Nikkola. From 2004 to 2006, Dima Slobodeniouk served as Principal Guest Conductor, and from 2007 to 2014 the Artistic Director was the Japanese conductor Yasuo Shinozaki. The Estonian conductor Olari Elts served as the orchestra’s Artistic Adviser from 2018 to 2022. Jukka Perko and Topi Lehtipuu were appointed Artistic Partners of the orchestra from the autumn season 2023.
Kymi Sinfonietta performs regularly in Kotka and Kouvola. The orchestra also tours elsewhere in Finland and abroad. It acts as the performing orchestra for the final concerts of both the international and the young composers’ Uuno Klami Composition Competitions. Kymi Sinfonietta’s repertoire is broad, ranging from chamber music to symphonies, from early music to the very latest works, without forgetting innovative artistic ventures.