Violinist Pekka Kuusisto released his new album Williow on the Platoon label, where he plays with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and features American singer-songwriter Sam Amidon.

The album features Vaughn William’s Lark Ascending, Ellen Reid’s Desiderium for solo violin, and Caroline Shaw’s Plan & Elevation arranged for chamber orchestra. Sam Amidon's songs have been arranged for an ensemble by Nico Muhly. 

“The Willows album, to me, is an embrace, a comfortable silence and a knowing look between friends," Pekka Kuusisto remarks. "A large part of the process of making the album revolved around grief, both personal and global, as recent times have not displayed the best of humanity. I don’t subscribe to the adage ‘to create art, one must suffer’. However, using the undeniable weight of sorrow to try to put some beauty into the world seems like a worthy endeavour.”

Hear the full album below:  

 

Violinist, conductor, and composer Pekka Kuusisto is the Artistic Director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor & Artistic Co-Director of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony. Kuusisto will be the Chief Conductor designate of Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra from April 2028. In 1995, he was the first Finn to win the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition and receive a special prize for the best performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Kuusisto plays a 1709 Antonio Stradivari violin, known as the “Scotta,” loaned by a patron through Tarisio Auctions.

In the 25/26 season, Kuusisto continues his work with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, presenting the DSCH Shostakovich musical theatre experience to Oslo and Copenhagen. 

Pekka is a graduate of the Sibelius Academy (1983-1985) and the Indiana University School of Music (1992-1996) under the tutelage of Miriam Fried and Paul Biss.