Bio
Tami Pohjola (b. 1996) is one of the leading names of her generation of Finnish violinists. She has been praised for her secure technique and wide-ranging expression, and her humble attitude to music and astonishing interpretations has won over audiences internationally. She is at home in the classical cornerstones of the violin repertoire (Mozart, Sibelius) as well as in demanding contemporary concertos (Saariaho, Salonen, Adès, among others), performing actively both in Finland and abroad.
Pohjola has performed as a soloist with almost all Finnish orchestras, as well as international ensembles like the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra and The Hallé in Manchester, among others. She was one of the artists chosen by the Finnish Radio Orchestra for their season theme Future in Spring 2024. She has worked with renowned conductors such as Jörg Widmann, Nicholas Collon, Sakari Oramo, Mikko Franck, Tarmo Peltokoski, Klaus Mäkelä and Kristian Sallinen.
Pohjola is also an active chamber musician – ”Chamber music feels like everyone breathes the same air”, she has said. She has played at several important chamber music festivals, including Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Naantali Music Festival, Turku Music Festival, International Music Seminar Prussia Cove and Mantova Chamber Music Festival, among others. She has also performed with renowned musicians such as Miriam Fried, Janine Jansen, Krzysztof Chorzelski, Ralf Gothóni and Arto Noras, and studied at the European Chamber Music Academy ECMA. She was one of the artistic directors of the Kamarikesä festival in Helsinki 2017–2021.
Tami Pohjola is a prize-winner from several international and national competitions, like the International Dinu Lipatti Violin Competition in 2019 and in the Kuopio Violin Competition in 2015. She also won the International Young Musician Competition in Estonia in 2009.
Pohjola grew up in a musician family and started playing the violin when she was three years old, studying with Grazyna Zeranska-Gebert in the Espoo Music Institute and then with Réka Szilvay at the Sibelius Academy. Later Pohjola studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich with Mi-kyung Lee and in Sion at Haute École de Musique Valais with Janine Jansen.
Tami Pohjola plays a Guadagnini violin (1754) owned by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
”The soloist Tami Pohjola's Guadagnini violin gleamed with a bright and sleek radiance, and performed with fiery precision in the finale. Many double stops and extended techniques gave the solo a strong, flowing character, which resonated also in the masterful orchestration.”
Hannu-IlariLampila, Helsingin Sanomat 5.4.2025 (Aho concerto with Lahti Symphony Orchestra)
”Like Vähälä, Tami Pohjola uses a slender, sound-wise pure and clear violin tone, while at the same time inoculating quite a lot of her own irrististably unpretentious personality in the interpretation.”
Mats Liljeroos, HBL 5.4.2025 (Aho concerto with Lahti Symphony Orchestra)
”Brough to its sounding raiment with impeccable virtuosity and profound artistry by Pohjola, each and every nuance of Adámek’s intricate solo part was rendered to the fullest, giving rise to incredibly multi-faceted reading of the violin material.”
Jari Juhani Kallio, Adventures in Music 2.7.2024 (Adámek concerto with Avanti!)
”Tami Pohjola played Salonen's concerto magnificently, with dreamlike beauty as well as fiercely wild. - - The collaboration between Pohjola and Nicholas Collon was so intense, that the soloist often became one with the orchestra's sound environment, without losing her profile.”
Hannu-Ilari Lampila, Helsingin Sanomat 7.12.2023 (Salonen concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra)
”Tami Pohjola's interpretation found its strenght in balancing between death-defying virtuosity and sensibly spun legato arcs.”
Mats Liljeroos, HBL 7.12.2023 (Salonen concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra)
”She had a rich, individual voice which led us through all the concerto's varied moods.There was a remarkable confidence and independence in her playing which drew us into this special world. Her virtuosity was always at the service of the music and her rapport with the conductor and orchestra was palpable.”
Peter Connors, Bachtrack 14.10.2022 (Sibelius concerto with Hallé)
”With the astonishing Tami Pohjola as soloist, Graal théâtre was given a fabulous performance. Her compelling mastery over the solo line, both incredibly nuanced and tremendously expressive, was absolutely spellbinding.”
Jari Juhani Kallio, Adventures in Music 26.9.2020 (Saariaho concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra)
”Tami Pohjola is probably our next violin talent in line after Pekka Kuusisto and she played the well integrated solo part with all possible elegance of sound and sensibility of expression.”
Mats Liljeroos, Hufvudstadsbladet 11.3.2018 (Sallinen concerto, Tapiola Sinfonietta)
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Watch and listen LIVE at Yle Areena (starts from 14:40)
RSO: Guest Performance: Lahti Symphony Orchestra / Tami Pohjola, Kalevi Aho: Violin Concerto No. 2
Videolink:
Andrea Tarrodi: "Acanthes" concerto for 2 violin and strings
Starts from 1h 44min
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Tarmo Peltokoski, conductor
Kasmir Uusitupa, violin
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