A month of music- Finnish conductors Leif Segerstam and Ari Rasilainen perform in Ankara
November was a special month for music lovers in Ankara, as the exceptionally talented Finnish conductors Leif Segerstam and Ari Rasilainen arrived to the city. Both conductors directed The Presidential Symphony Orchestra at the beautiful CSO Ada Ankara, and provided remarkable performances.
On November 4th the brilliant Presidential Symphony Orchestra performed the Piano Concerto No. 1, one of the well-known works of Ahmed Adnan Saygun, under the direction of Finnish Conductor Ari Rasilainen. During his long career, Rasilainen has gathered himself a highly regarded reputation, and he is known as a charismatic and professional conductor. Rasilainen has found himself a musical base within Germany, where he has worked for many years as a conductor and as a professor of conducting. During the enchanting concert in Ankara, the Orchestra accompanied the talented soloist Gülsin Onay, a leading and captivating Turkish concert pianist.
On November 18th , The Presidential Symphony Orchestra performed under the direction of world-renowned Finnish conductor Leif Segerstam. Leif Segerstam is famous for having written over 340 symphonies, and his contributions have made him a central figure of the Finnish music sphere. Globally, he is also praised for his charismatic and magnetic personality, which enrich his performances with high levels of energy. During Friday’s performance, Segerstam’s energy was certainly apparent, as he even briefly sang along with the talented soloist Soyoung Yoon’s violin. Soyoung Yoon is a South Korean violinist, and her own alluring energy was a delight to follow.
When talented musicians come together, it feels remarkably easy to create a cheering, standing and united audience. Music and culture are powerful tools when it comes to building connections. Team Finland is delighted to have witnessed the meaningful cultural exchanges found in these concerts, and hopes to contribute to increased cultural cooperation between Finland and Türkiye in the future.