Nightwish Yesterwynde Orchestral – Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra

Originally from Kitee, Finland, but having spent a year of his childhood in Tampere, Tuomas Holopainen is celebrated both in Finland and internationally as a versatile musician, composer, lyricist, and producer. Yesterwynde, with its cinematic scope, paints expansive soundscapes. Holopainen’s musical inspirations include renowned film composers such as Vangelis and Hans Zimmer.

The music takes the listener on a journey through contrasting moods, from tranquil and melancholic moments to explosive, monumental climaxes. The choral voices add a mystical, almost spiritual dimension to the music. Holopainen describes the album as a meditation on humanism, emphasizing its fundamentally optimistic tone. Key themes include time, history, and the resilience of humanity, the ability to come together and endure hardships.

“Yesterwynde is a journey through the landscapes of memories, dreams, and longing. The album is full of stories about time – both elusive and ever-present. It is the most personal and multi-layered creation of my career so far, and I am profoundly grateful that it will receive such a special world premiere with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and a massive choir. In the studio, you can polish things endlessly, but live performance is always something unique,” says Holopainen.

James Shearman is widely recognized as a premier British orchestrator and conductor who has contributed to the scores of over 100 feature films including Uncharted (Sony), Death on the Nile (FOX), Aladdin (Disney), Beauty and the Beast (Disney), Manchester by the Sea (Amazon), Cinderella (Disney), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (FOX), Brave (Pixar), Bridget Jones’s Diary (Working Title), Thor (Marvel), Shakespeare in Love (Universal), Gosford Park (Capitol), Murder on the Orient Express (FOX), and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros) and numerous others.

Today, in addition to his work in film soundtracks, Shearman regularly performs in the concert hall, conducting both film and concert music with some of the worlds leading orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, ORF Vienna Radio Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra and the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. His musical versatility and informal style make him sought after by both orchestra and audience, with an eclectic concert repertoire that includes film music, film with live orchestra, pop, classical, musical theatre and opera.

Shearman was born in England. He studied composition and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he won two composition prizes. In his final year of studies, as part of the Academy’s annual music festival, Shearman was commissioned to compose a piece honouring the career of legendary film composer John Williams. The piece was premiered as part of the British Film Festival 1996 to John Williams himself, who was impressed with the composition and it’s accomplished orchestration. Shearman has since orchestrated and/or conducted for many of Hollywood’s Academy Award winning and/or nominated composers including Ramin Djawadi, Elliot Goldenthal, Alberto Iglesias, Mark Isham, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Alan Menken, John Powell, Gabriel Yared, Hans Zimmer, and most notably Patrick Doyle, whom he has a particularly long standing and successful collaboration.

Shearman recently orchestrated and conducted Bear McCreary’s music for the film with live orchestra Outlander: Series Six Premiere Concert (Starz/Sony) at the Royal Festival Hall with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Choir. Shearman is also a composer who has written film scores, concert music, an original musical and several Gold and Platinum album selling classical cross-over songs. He co-wrote the U.S. platinum selling song Dream a Dream (Sony Classical) recorded by Charlotte Church, which sold over 1.6 million copies in the U.S alone. In 2015, Shearman was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, awarded to former Academy students who have distinguished themselves within the music profession. He resides in London, UK.

Eero Lehtimäki (b. 1989) made his breakthrough by conducting the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra on extremely short notice at the Turku Music Festival in 2016. Since then, he has appeared as a guest conductor with nearly all Finnish symphony orchestras. He served as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Joensuu City Orchestra from 2019 to 2022.

Eero began his conducting studies with Jorma Panula in 2010 and graduated from the Sibelius Academy in 2016. He has also studied orchestral and opera conducting in Vienna with Johannes Wildner, Simeon Pironkoff, and Konrad Leitner. He has taken part in masterclasses with Jorma Panula and Valery Gergiev, and pursued private studies under Hannu Lintu.

Before his conducting studies, Lehtimäki graduated from the Helsinki Conservatory, majoring in clarinet and bass clarinet, and has studied historical clarinets in Austria, Germany, and France. He has been an artist at the Iitti Music Festival since 2013 and continues to appear on a “regularly irregular” basis as a soloist and performer with various orchestras and chamber ensembles. Alongside his musical career, Eero has also graduated as a Master of Science in Acoustics from Aalto University. He values broad intellectual cultivation and makes music to take people to places they could never imagine.

Concert line-up:

Violin I

Maria Itkonen, 1st concertmaster tp.
Kati Tuominen-Heroja, 3rd concertmaster tp.
Lotta Laaksonen *tp.
Liina Nuora-Loijas ***
Lea Antola
Maria Garcia Escudero
Raimo Hannikainen
Siri Heinonen
Katri Nikkanen
István Szalay
Jaakko Nordman

Violin II

Kaia Voitka *
Heidi Kuula **
Kimmo Tullila ***
Anna Angervo
Riitta Hallila
Heikki Hannikainen
Kirsi Korpela-Pulkkinen
Kristine Lilientale-Birzniece
Anni Ylikallio
Stevan Sretenovic tp.

Viola

Joshua Kail, solo viola tp.
Kata Stojanovic
Heili Hannikainen
Elizabete Jokiranta
Anne Korhonen
Taavi Nachtigall
Anni Tiainen-Hammo
Marianne Hautakangas

Cello

Kalle-Pekka Koponen, solo cello
Reinis Birznieks
Maija Juuti
Sampo Liukko
Elina Rouvali
Antto Tunkkari tp.

Double bass

Oskari Hanhikoski **
Pentti Huhtinen
Juha Kleemola
Heikki Lehtinen

Flute

Malla Vivolin **
Nina Johnson ***

Oboe

Simeon Overbeck *tp.
Juha Ala **

Clarinet

Mark Reding **
Janne Pesonen ***

Bassoon

Alexei Dmitriev *
Ananta Diaz tp.

Horn

Jouni Suuronen **
Pauliina Koskela ***
Ismo Ponkala
Timo Ruskeepää

Tuba

Harri Miettunen *

Timpani

Tiina Laukkanen *

Percussion

Jyri Kurri *
Jarmo Niininen ***tp.
Tuomo Oravakangas ***
Harri Lehtinen tp.

Harp

Kirsti Vartiainen *

Piano, celesta

Ville Hautakangas *tp.

Keyboard

Olli Hipeli *tp.

Guitar

Lauri Hannu *tp.

Drums

Vicky O’Neon *tp.

Tin whistle

Laura Veikkola *tp.

Lead singer

Henna Leisiö

Principal *
Co-Principal **
Assistant Principal ***
Temporary tp.

Read more about the orchestra: tamperefilharmonia.fi

Concert line-up:

Soprano

Aaltonen Veera
Haataja Emilia
Hakala Enni
Hiljanen Aliina
Hölsö Veera
Ivančáková Johana
Kelloniemi Kaisa
Koskinen Anni
Kuusela-Heinonen Kaisa
Känä Helena
Latvanne Emmi
Palviainen Mari
Pauniaho Satu-Liisa
Piirainen Maria
Suurmäki-Lesonen Anna
Taipale Hannele
Ylikoski Eveliina

Alto

Eriksson-Rossi Piia
Helminen Sanna
Jauhiainen Nina
Kalmari Johanna
Lanoire Anna
Leino-Mäkiharju Outi Maria
Maireberg Virpi
Meretvuo Sanna
Niinimaa Terhi
Pap Anna Inkeri
Perttula Petra
Reijonen Tarja
Vahvelainen Hilla
Vuorela Sanna
Vuorijärvi Mari
Vähälä Sanna
Wallendahl Amanda

Tenor

Arela Antti
Grönberg Tommi
Heino Jukka
Järvimäki Pasi
Kerola George
Kriuchkov Stanislav
Lehtilä Aarni
Lehtinen Mikael
Myllymäki Petri
Riekki Matti
Sipilä Matti
Sipola Antti
Skyttä Matti
Tuupainen Marko

Bass

Eskola Pekka
Henttinen Tommi
Huhdanmäki Tapani
Huotari Hugo
Hynynen Erkki
Jauhiainen Janne
Kallio Pertti
Kerppilä Elmeri
Kiekara Romeo
Laaksonen Jani
Maijala Theo
Ritalahti Juha
Salmenkangas Janne
Suominen Aapo
Taattola Jari

Read more about Tampere Opera: tampereenooppera.fi

Concert line-up:

Pirkanpojat

Aatsinki Joopi
Aittala Aaron
Alahuhtala Matias
Bobyrev Emil
Erma Iivari
Honkanen Leo
Jaakola Lassi
Järvelä Max
Kiitola Juuso
Kinnunen Leo
Linkoheimo Väinö
Lompolo Sisu
Niemi Aaron
Palmroth Karlo
Palmroth Lenni
Puronlahti Niilo
Rautalahti Verner
Rissanen Oiva
Salokangas Juho
Turunen Miro
Van Aerschot Oskar
Vuorinen Sakari
Yli-Jokipii Tuomas

The choir leader is Jouni Rissanen.

Nuorisokuoro Sympaatti

Anneberg Katariina
Bobyreva Julia
Heikkilä Henna
Hinkka Hilmaliina
Jokitie Tifta
Koivisto Folques Veera
Rissanen Vilja
Salo Hertta
Savukoski Saana
Sointu Helmi
Takala Pihla
Tammisto Aida-Olivia
Yli-Karjanmaa Jemina

Lapsikuoro Tactus

Chaumontet Eva
Dahlgren Aada
Dahlgren Venla
Kelkka Erika
Keskinen Lyydia
Koski Kiira
Kurki Frida
Miilumäki Mea
Petrova Vera
Ruokamo Maikki
Ruokola Elli
Ruokola Mia
Von Hertzen Olivia
Vilenius Pihla
Vuorinen Maija

The choir leader is Emmi Kleemola.

Soloists in Children’s Choir

Jokitie Tifta
Yli-Jokipii Tuomas