Tuomas Pyrhönen

CURRICULUM VITAE

In 1988–1996 I studied at the Sibelius Academy Church Music Department in Helsinki. I graduated as Master of Music (Mmus) in 1994, and in May 1996 I received my organ diploma under the direction of Kari Jussila. From October 1996 to July 1998 I continued my studies at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart with Professor Ludger Lohmann as my organ teacher. In Stuttgart I took Künstlerische Abschlussprüfung (higher academic examination).

In addition, I have studied organ improvisation under Anders Bondeman in Stockholm and have supplemented my studies in the Netherlands, Italy and Great Britain. In Finland I have widely performed as an organist and have given concerts in Germany, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. I gave my debut recital at Kallio Church in Helsinki in December 1998. Also, I have made recordings for the Finnish Broadcasting Company. My first cd Orbis Terrae et Veneris was published in November 2005.

I have worked with various choir directors and orchestra conductors. Furthermore, I have frequently performed chamber music, accompanied a number of singers and played as a soloist of, for example, Joensuu City Orchestra.

My goal has been to actively and without prejudice expand my musicianship, which is why I try to keep my concert repertoire as varied as possible. I have transcribed orchestral and piano works for the organ. I consider the music composed in the 20th century as well as contemporary music particularly inspiring. Consequently, I premiered two organ works – which I had commissioned – at Helsinki Cathedral at the Kirkko Soikoon church music festival in March 2004. Still, I haven’t forgotten my basic repertoire and won’t do so, either…

Since February 2002 I have worked as church musician at Joensuu parish. In 2000–2005 I also gave organ lessons at Lappeenranta Music Institute. I have worked as a music critic for Etelä-Saimaa and Karjalainen newspapers since 1999.

My favourite pastimes are music (particularly other than organ music: going to concerts and opera, collecting CDs as well as hunting for rare sheets of music and CDs), travelling (my favourite cities: Prague, Berlin, Paris and New York) films (my favourites: Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky, Repulsion by Roman Polanski and Breaking the Waves by Lars von Trier) and reading (Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is a perfect novel!).

CRISANTEMI -
A Selection of Organ Transcriptions
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