Hyvinkää Orchestra

The Hyvinkää Orchestra was officially founded in 1962 though it gave its first concert already in 1959. This purely amateur band has since developed into an orchestra with the core of players consisting mainly of teachers of the Hyvinkää and nearby music colleges and local players studying to become professional musicians.

A few concerts for full orchestra (40–50 players) are given every year, the remainder of the events being chamber concerts. Aarre Hemming, Jouko Koivukoski and Pentti Sistonen were among the conductors in the early years. Since 1988 the orchestra has been conducted by Tuomas Pirilä.

One of the guiding principles of the Hyvinkää Orchestra is to provide performing opportunities for young musicians just embarking on their careers and to present contemporary music. In 1999 the orchestra released a CD of works by Harri Vuori, Ernest Pingoud, Pentti Raitio and Kimmo Nevonmaa not previously recorded. The orchestra released a new recording in 2008 consisting of two new symphonies by Finnish composer Harri Vuori.