Antti Salovaara, bassoon

Antti Salovaara is a prominent Finnish bassoonist whose journey with the bassoon began at the esteemed Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He studied under the tutelage of Jaakko Luoma, a notable figure in the world of bassoon pedagogy. Seeking to expand his horizons, Salovaara continued his education at the Conservatoire de Paris with Laurent Lefèvre, and later at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover with Bence Bogányi. He graduated from Hannover in 2018, rounding out a robust and diverse educational background that has significantly shaped his musical career.

Salovaara’s professional career is marked by his membership in the Esbjerg Ensemble, where he has been a key player since 2017. The ensemble is known for its dynamic performances and innovative programming, allowing Salovaara to showcase his skills in various settings and genres.

In addition to his role in the Esbjerg Ensemble, Salovaara is a member of Tölöläb, an electroacoustic experimental woodwind group based in Helsinki. This group is known for pushing the boundaries of traditional woodwind performance, blending electronic elements with classical music to create unique auditory experiences. His work with Tölöläb highlights his versatility and willingness to explore new musical territories.

Salovaara is deeply committed to chamber music and regularly collaborates with composers to expand the bassoon’s solo and chamber repertoire. His contributions to chamber music are marked by a passion for improvisation and a keen interest in contemporary music. This has led him to work on several innovative projects, bringing new compositions and fresh interpretations to the stage.

As a soloist, Salovaara has performed with various orchestras, demonstrating his technical prowess and expressive capabilities. His solo performances are noted for their lyrical beauty and the depth of his musical interpretations, engaging audiences and critics alike.

Outside of his professional life, Antti Salovaara is an avid runner and sports enthusiast. He enjoys discussing sports and stays active through his athletic pursuits, which provide a balanced counterpoint to his musical endeavours.

Antti Salovaara’s career as a bassoonist is distinguished by his extensive education, professional achievements, and innovative contributions to both traditional and contemporary music. His work with the Esbjerg Ensemble and Tölöläb showcases his versatility and commitment to pushing the boundaries of classical music. As he continues to perform and collaborate, Salovaara remains a significant figure in the world of bassoon music, dedicated to expanding the instrument’s repertoire and inspiring new generations of musicians.

German-British cellist Philip Skye Graham is a sought-after chamber musician and interpreter ofcontemporary music. His diverse career encompasses working with various ensembles and musical styles, solo projects, teaching activities, and collaborations with contemporary composers.
Early competition successes, numerous international scholarships, and studies with renowned professors such as Clemens Hagen (Mozarteum University Salzburg), Alexander Hülshoff (Folkwang University of the Arts), and Nicolas Altstaedt (Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin), alongside further musical guidance from eminent figures including Günter Pichler (Alban Berg Quartet), Lucas Fels (Arditti Quartet), Heinrich Schiff, and Steven Isserlis, quickly led to an intense concert schedule. In 2015, he joined the Berlin-based Notos Piano Quartet.

From 2015 to 2024, Graham performed with the Notos Quartet on some of the world’s most prestigious stages across Europe, Japan, China, Australia, and North America. The quartet’s achievements include three critically acclaimed albums released by Sony Classical, numerous live recordings, radio and television features, and six first prizes at international competitions. Their excellence was further recognized with the Würth Prize of Jeunesses Musicales Germany.

Since leaving the quartet in 2024 to explore new artistic directions, Graham has pursued many different projects that span a wide range, including performances at the Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus, recordings of solo works by H.W. Henze and B.A. Zimmermann, collaborations with artists such as Christian Tetzlaff and Heinz Holliger as well as guest appearances with the Esbjerg Ensemble and as principal cellist with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Munich Philharmonic.

A key element of Graham’s career is collaboration with contemporary composers. Over the years, many works have been written for him and the Notos Quartet, including by distinguished composers such as Beat Furrer, Birke Bertelsmeier, David P. Graham, Jesús Torres, Bernhard Gander, Bryce Dessner, Hakan Ulus, and Elena Mendoza.

Beyond his performance career, Philip Graham is deeply committed to supporting young artists. In 2019 he co-founded the now annual Notos Chamber Music Academy in collaboration with Jeunesses Musicales Germany. He has also conducted workshops with his father, British composer David P. Graham, on teaching modern compositional techniques and interpreting new works for children and young people. Since the winter semester of 2024/25, Graham has been an adjunct faculty member at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin.

Thanks to the generous support of the Merito String Instruments Trust, Philip Graham performs on a Giovanni Battista Grancino cello from 1700. As a Pirastro Artist, he exclusively uses strings crafted by the renowned string manufacturer Pirastro GmbH.

ARS NOVA Copenhagen is a Danish-based, international vocal ensemble of 12 members specializing in renaissance polyphonic choral music and new vocal music, which is performed with precision and verve, and with a sound that attracts attention all over the world.

The ensemble has long since established itself as one of the world’s finest vocal ensembles and has toured in more than 40 countries on five continents. With concerts in Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark and several annual tours worldwide, the group is today more in demand th

an ever. Upcoming tours include Scotland, Belgium Sweden, Germany and Spain.

Over the years, Ars Nova has had close collaborations with a large number of both international and Danish composers, including Pelle Gudmundsens-Holmgreen, Per Nørgård and Avo Pärt. Most recently, the ensemble premiered works by Bent Sørensen, Signe Lykke, Caroline Shaw and Galina Grigorjeva.

Ars Nova has recorded a number of award-winning albums; including a Grammy for The Little Match Girl Passion with music by David Lang (with Theatre of Voices at Harmonia Mundi). The ensemble’s latest releases are “…and…” (Naxos) featuring  works by Arvo Pärt, Julia Wolfe and Caroline Shaw as well as Italian medieval songs from Laudario di Cortona, which was nominated as release of the year at the P2 Prize 2022, and Crossing Borders (Dacapo) with music by Carl Nielsen, Niels W. Gade, Vagn Holmboe, Wilhelm Stenhammer and Line Tjørnhøj. Both releases have received top reviews in the press. In March 2025 the group released a recording of Caroline Shaw’s How to fold the wind(Cantaloupe) commissioned by Ars Nova in 2020.

Other releases include Creator Spiritus with music by Arvo Pärt and The Christmas Story (Harmonia Mundi), Gallos Y Huesos | Notker with music by the Argentinian composer Pablo Ortiz (Orchid Classics) and The Golden Age of Danish Partsongs (Dacapo) with music by prominent Danish vocal composers from the past 200 years. 

Ars Nova was founded in 1979 and until 1995 was led by the Danish conductor and composer Bo Holten, whose pioneering ideas about a repertoire encompassing both early and new music helped establishing the ensemble’s position both in Denmark and internationally.

Tamás Vetö, who succeeded Holten in 1995, conducted a.o.. a long series of highly praised concert performances and recordings of Danish contemporary music.

From the beginning of this century until 2023, the ensemble was led by Paul Hillier, who with his clear artistic vision  took Ars Nova Copenhagen to the high level characterizing the group’s work today. In 2023 Paul Hillier was appointed honorary conductor of Ars Nova Copenhagen.

In 2024 Swedish/French Sofi Jeannin took over as the ensemble’s new chief conductor. JIn addition to holding the positions as chief conductor of the BBC Singers and Maitrise de Radio France, Jeannin regularly appears as guest conductor of a large number of leading European choirs and vocal ensembles. Ars Nova has thus once again succeeded in attracting an international conductor from the top shelf.

Ars Nova is part of Tenso – The European network for professional chamber choirs.

Jonas Egholm (b. 1998) is one of Denmark’s most remarkable young classical guitarists. Growing up in Børkop near Vejle, he has quickly established himself on the international stage, winning multiple prizes, including the 1st Prize at the prestigious International Guitar Festival José Tomás Villa de Petrer in Spain.

In 2023, Jonas was named P2 Talent of the Year by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR P2), a distinction that recognizes not only his exceptional technical mastery and musicality but also his passion for new music and artistic innovation. Throughout 2023, he has performed widely, with several of his concerts broadcast live on DR P2. He is also scheduled to premiere a new work composed for him by Sandra Boss, developed in collaboration with the Danish Composers’ Society and the Esbjerg Ensemble.

Jonas is currently completing his studies in the Soloist Class at The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under Jesper Sivebæk and will make his official debut in September 2023. His first solo album, featuring music by Sergio Assad, Joaquín Rodrigo, and others, was released in 2022 and selected as Album of the Week by DR P2.

Known for his artistic curiosity, discipline, and commitment to both traditional and contemporary repertoire, Jonas is actively involved in projects that bring newly composed music to younger audiences, including his recordings for Educate·S, a Danish initiative promoting contemporary music for children and youth.

With his dynamic presence and deep musical insight, Jonas Egholm is poised to become a leading figure in the international guitar scene.

Valdemar Wenzel Most – Rising Danish Piano Star

At just 19 years old, Valdemar Wenzel Most is rapidly ascending towards the stars of the international piano scene. With an impressive list of awards and accolades to his name, he was named P2 Talent of the Year 2025 on 6 April.

In September 2025, Valdemar will appear as soloist with Danmarks Underholdningsorkester as part of their prestigious Haydn Festival. On this occasion, he will also give the world premiere of a brand-new piece, composed especially for the recipient of the P2 Talent Award.

Born into a musical family, Valdemar began his journey with both piano and cello, and also sang as a boy soprano in the Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir. He performed as one of the three boys in Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the Royal Danish Opera, and studied piano with Bella Zapolski before continuing his training with Kirill Gerstein at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, where he is currently part of Gerstein’s class.

In March 2024, Valdemar performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 with the Odense Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simon Gaudenz. At the Aarhus International Piano Competition 2023, he was awarded 2nd Prize and the Carl Nielsen Prize, performing the first movement of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto with the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and conductor Pierre Bleuse.

He has also performed Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto (first movement) with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (conductor Delyana Lazarova), the South Denmark Philharmonic (Alessandro Bonato), and Copenhagen Phil (Christian Øland).

Valdemar received the Talent Prize at the Copenhagen Summer Festival, where he gave a live televised recital on Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR). The programme included solo works and Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in D minor, performed with Jonathan Swensen and Selma Teilmann.

He received the Great Grant from the Jacob Gade Foundation in 2023 and was a participant at IMS Prussia Cove, where he had the opportunity to work with Kirill Gerstein—an experience that strongly influenced his artistic path.

Valdemar won 1st Prize at the Steinway Festival 2022 and was selected as Denmark’s representative at the International Steinway Festival in Hamburg, performing at the Laeiszhalle in September 2023.

At the Nordic Piano Competition 2022, he received 2nd Prize and special awards for Best Nordic Pianist, Best Romantic Interpretation, and Best Classical Interpretation. He also received the Talent Prize and Gold Medal at the Berlingske Classical Music Competition 2019, 2nd Prize at the Nordic Junior Piano Competition, and the Grand Prix at the Concertino Malmö International Music Festival.

A recipient of a three-year Talent Grant from the Jacob Gade Foundation in 2018, Valdemar is now an active member of the Jacob Gade Talent Programme, where he regularly performs recitals and chamber music alongside both young musicians and seasoned professionals.

Valdemar won Gold Medal at The Young Chamber Music Competition in Denmark 2022 with the Zapolski Piano Quintet, which also performed at the Royal Danish Theatre to celebrate the ballet school’s 250th anniversary.

As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with renowned artists including Torleif Thedéen, Andreas Brantelid, Ludvig Gudim, Jonathan Swensen, and Hrachya Avanesyan.