The Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras
The Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras (Suosio) is an egalitarian community of diverse orchestras, built on interaction among its members and drawing its strength from that collaboration. Suosio promotes advocacy, professional development, and the exchange of knowledge within the orchestral field.
Its mission is to help build a Finland where everyone—regardless of place of residence, financial means, age, health, or any comparable circumstance—has the opportunity to experience high-quality orchestral performances and to participate in a rich spectrum of musical experiences.
Suosio supports its member orchestras locally, nationally, and internationally. At the heart of all its activities lies the expertise, insight, and experience of the member orchestras and the people working within them, harnessed for the benefit of the entire orchestral community and of everyone in Finland.
What do we do?
Interaction
We maintain close contact with government and municipal officials and decision-makers, as well as with all key individuals involved in matters concerning orchestras.
We communicate the cultural, artistic, economic, social, and well-being–enhancing significance of orchestras in society. We stay in active dialogue with organizations in the orchestral and music sector and bring new ideas and innovations from around the world to Finland.
We submit initiatives and provide statements to state and municipal authorities and to other organizations on issues concerning orchestras. We participate in public discussion and make sure we are present whenever matters related to orchestras are being addressed.
Information services
The association serves as a shared information center for Finnish orchestras.
On our website, you can find information about all our member orchestras. We share details on open positions in the orchestral field, audience engagement work, key reports, projects, and major news, and we maintain a joint concert calendar for the orchestras.
Each year, we publish comprehensive statistics on the activities of our member orchestras. We track revenues, expenditures, public subsidies, concert attendance figures, and many other essential indicators of orchestral operations.
Networking, training, development
We strengthen cooperation and networking among orchestras. We organize training sessions for orchestra general managers and other administrative staff, and we also provide training for orchestras’ elected representatives whenever needed.
Each year, we bring together, train, and support professionals in the field at the national Orchestra Days, as well as through various seminars, training events, and networking meetings.
National and international cooperation
We work actively with other organizations both in Finland and abroad. We are a founding member of KULTA ry, the advocacy organization for the cultural and arts sector, and we collaborate closely with other Finnish music and cultural organizations.
We take part actively in sector-wide meetings in the Nordic countries (Nordic Orchestra Conference) and in Europe (PEARLE – the Performing Arts Employers Associations League, and EOF – the European Orchestra Forum). In addition, the association regularly participates in conferences of the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) and in other global events and networks within the orchestral field.
We Maintain a Music Library
We also manage a nationwide sheet music library for orchestral materials. Our collection includes nearly 2,000 works that member orchestras and other organizations can use for a service fee.
How many of us are there?
The Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras currently has 34 member orchestras. These include all professional symphony and chamber orchestras in Finland, along with seven other orchestras and six affiliate member orchestras. The member orchestras are divided into the following categories:
- 14 professional symphony orchestras
- 1 opera orchestra
- 6 chamber or core orchestras
- 7 other orchestras
- 6 affiliate members
The Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras receives general operational funding from the Ministry of Education and Culture, designated for nationwide arts and culture organizations.
ESG
Explore the Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras’ ESG Programme
2025-2028 (in Finnish).
Translated by ChatGPT