Currently

Artistic Leader & Chief Conductor Iceland Symphony Orchestra

since June 2019

Chief Conductor Orchestra della Toscana

since November 2019

Chief Conductor Nordic Chamber Orchestra

since June 2017

Biography

Eva Ollikainen is the Artistic Leader and Chief Conductor of Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Chief Conductor of Orchestra della Toscana in Florence, and Chief Conductor of Nordic Chamber Orchestra based in Sweden.

Her guest appearances include concerts and performances with Staatskapelle Dresden, Wiener Symphoniker, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Royal Danish Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and Brussels Philharmonic.

During the season 2020-21 she will make her debuts with Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. With Iceland Symphony Orchestra she will conduct performances of Die Walküre, world premieres by Daniel Bjarnason and Outi Tarkiainen, and works by Bruckner, Mahler and Strauss. With Orchestra della Toscana she will start with a Brahms cycle and a world premiere by Daniela Terranova. Her final season with the Nordic Chamber Orchestra will see performances of Schubert and Beethoven symphonies and a world premiere by Andrea Tarrodi.

Eva Ollikainen is a frequent guest teacher at the Sibelius Academy Conducting Class, and this season she will also appear as a guest teacher at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. In her first season as Artistic Leader for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, she founded the Conducting Academy for young musicians in Iceland.

2020/21 season only. Please contact if you wish to make changes.

Recent Guest Appearences

Staatskapelle Dresden

Wiener Symphoniker

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra

Kennedy Center Opera House

Royal Danish Opera House

Upcoming Events

22.01.2021

Orchestra della Toscana

Liszt Piano concerto 2, sol. TBA
Brahms Symphony 1
STREAMING

04.02.2021

Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Programme TBA

11.02.2021

Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Programme TBA

18.02.2021

Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Programme TBA

25.02.2021

Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Programme TBA

05.03.2021

Orchestra della Toscana

Terranova Light cloud, dark cloud sol. Marco Ortolani (world premiere)
Tchaikovsky Rococo-variations sol. Julian Steckel
Brahms Symphony

Reviews

Both of the Wiener Symphoniker’s factory expeditions were led by the Finnish conductor Eva Ollikainen with great dedication and charisma. The harmony between her and the musicians was evident, although this was only their first collaboration together – although it is conceivable that this could just be the beginning of their work together.

Wiener Zeitung, 7 May 2018, Viktoria Klimpfinger

Unsentimentally, yet with generous phrasing that surges like the tide, she made great music from this somewhat overworked symphony. The enthusiastic Royal Philharmonic gave her a well earned fanfare.

Svenska Dagbladet, 10 October 2006, Sofia Nyblom (Tchaikovsky No. 5)

How they managed to achieve such a transparent sound, paired with weight, liveliness and precision, is a mystery to me. The performance was absolutely outstanding. She presented Beethoven as a rhythmic composer, with springy dotted rhythms in the first movement and a clearly-defined Allegretto theme. The following movement, usually presented sentimentally, was luminous and profound. The nymphs danced lightly in the Scherzo – a motion which escalated quickly to a Dionysian frenzy in the Finale. Excellent! The audience was blown away.

Svenska Dagbladet, 22 October 2009, Lars Hedblad (Beethoven No. 7)

Contact

Local management in North America, UK and Asia

Sheldon Artists
R. Douglas Sheldon
dougsheldon@sheldonartists.com
+1 732 397 9976