Polytech Orchestra
The Polytech Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Otaniemi, Espoo.
It was founded in 1922 and is thus the oldest Finnish academic student orchestra. The conductor of the orchestra is currently Vuokko Lahtinen. There are about 100 active musicians at the PO, most of whom are students from Aalto University and other universities and schools within the greater Helsinki area.
PO's annual concert program includes autumn, Christmas and spring concerts in the Helsinki metropolitan area and a spring tour to various parts of Finland. The orchestra has also performed abroad in Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, the Baltic states, Sweden and Scotland. The PO concert program is complemented by various charity and subscription concerts, such as the Printempo Concert at the Aalto University's alongside other music communities and the Helsinki Academic Female Choir. The orchestra includes as well several smaller bands, such as their string quartets, the horn quartet Cornostar and the Polytechnic's Salon Orchestra.
Conductors
- Eero Saari, 1922–23
- Eero Koskimies, 1923–35
- Sulho Ranta, 1935–39
- Heikki Aaltoila, 1940–56
- Aarre Hemming, 1956–58
- Jorma Panula, 1958–60
- Pentti Antila, 1964–66
- , 1966–68
- Seppo Laamanen, 1968–69
- Ylermi Poijärvi, 1970–73
- Atso Almila, 1975–79
- Ari Rasilainen, 1979–81
- Timo Pulakka, 1982–83
- Juhani Lamminmäki, 1983–86
- Juha Nikkola, 1987–1990
- Sakari Oramo, 1990–92
- Hannu Norjanen, 1992–99, 2003
- Dima Slobodeniouk, 1999–2002
- Eva Ollikainen, 2003–05
- Petri Komulainen, 2005–2013
- Andreas Vogelsberger, 2013–2016
- Eero Lehtimäki, 2016–2018
- James S. Kahane, 2018–2024
- Vuokko Lahtinen, 2024-
Recordings
- Teekkarimarsseja
- 75 Years Celebration of the Polytech Orchestra
- Tree Time
- Polyphony
- Sibelius recording
- Tupsahdus recording
- * Ouverture solennelle 1812
- Nordgren recording