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The Finnish
Brass Ensemble

Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the Ensemble recording the CD

Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Jukka-Pekka Saraste (b. 1956) is one of today's most talented conductors. He studied violin and conducting at the Sibelius Academy, graduating in 1979. Saraste was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1985 and its Chief Conductor two years later. He was also Artistic Director of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra from 1987 to 1991. In September 1994 Saraste took up his appointment as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony.

The Finnish Brass Ensemble
The Finnish Brass Ensemble was founded in 1981 to perform new and old music. The ensemble has always given priority to Finnish music, which it has also played abroad. The Finnish Brass Ensemble has toured Sweden, Norway, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and Estonia.

The members of the Finnish Brass Ensemble come from the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic and the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera. The ensemble consists normally of five trumpets, four trombones and one tuba, but it can be enlarged by adding, for example, horns and percussion. The Finnish Brass Ensemble has worked with many distinguished conductors, including Eri Klas, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jorma Panula, Ulf Soderblom, Osmo Vanska and, of course, Jukka-Pekka Saraste.