Vaasa Baroque is an organisation in Vaasa, Finland, with the main purpose to arrange events within early music for the ostrobothnian audience. Our first concerts were held in 2013 and the number of concerts has grown annually since then. We feel very passionate about bringing early music with a twist to the ostrobothnian audience. Examples of this ”twist” is the numerous Finnish premieres we have done during the years, such as G.F.Handel’s opera Alcina and ”Earthly Angels: Passion” in 2023.
Artists visiting us are all on a high, international level. Our most memorable guests include Dame Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg (2014), Helsinki Baroque Orchestra (2015, 2021), Finnish Baroque Orchestra (2019, 2022) and Phantasm, a consort of viols (2022). In addition to these guests we often arrange concerts with the following top level musicians: Aapo Häkkinen, Heidi Peltoniemi, Eero Palviainen, Mikko Perkola, Andrew Lawrence-King and Anthony Marini. Within the local collaborations we especially enjoy working with the Vaasa City Orchestra, that has been visiting our festival almost annually since 2017 in different operatic and concert projects.
We believe that the local audiences in Ostrobothnia are entitled to hearing early music at the highest level in their own environment. We feel that the culture life in Ostrobothnia is richer and more interested the more heterogenic it is and think that we are an active part promoting this. We also feel very strongly about childrens’ and young peoples’ right to culture – for the young ones we play school concerts, give master classes and offer internship for university students. Normally under 18-year-olds have a free entrance to our concerts (exception: operatic performances).
During the years we have experienced a strong support from foundations and other sponsors. We’ve received grants from private foundations, the City of Vaasa and also state funding from TAIKE and MES. During the two last years our main sponsors have been Swedish Cultural Foundation, Finnish Cultural Foundation and the City of Vaasa.
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In Vaasa Baroque’s production team we have five members: Kajsa Dahlbäck, Ina Holthaus, Tobias Nygård, Viktor Olaus Nygård and Anneli Dahlbäck.
Kajsa Dahlbäck is founder and artistic director of Vaasa Baroque. She is a doctor of music (Uniarts Helsinki) and performs internationally as a soprano. She regularly performs in Finland with the baroque orchestras and has been awarded several prizes, among others from Stina Krook foundation, Svenska folkskolans vänner and Pro Musica. Dahlbäck also teaches early music singing at Novia UAS.
Ina Holthaus is Vaasa Baroque’s managing director since 08/2023. She has a vast international experience in managing orchestras and lives nowadays in Southern Ostrobothnia.
Tobias Nygård is Vaasa Baroque’s leading producer. He is also a jazz basist as well as an educated music pedagogue.
Viktor Olaus Nygård is a producer at Vaasa Baroque and in charge of the visual parts of our work. He is also a viola player in the Vaasa City Orchestra.
Anneli Dahlbäck is in charge of Vaasa Baroque’s ticket sales and payments. She has made a long career in the church’s economy department and is an eager choir singer.
