The coming weeks see Pekka Kuusisto return to the US to perform in recital and return to The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

The tour commences with Kuusisto’s debut appearance at Carnegie Hall​’s Zankel Hall on 26 April. The concert, part of the ​‘Three Generations’ season curated by Steve Reich, comprises a programme of works by Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly, including the world premieres of the former’s Skrik Trio and the latter’s No Uncertain Terms. The evening’s line-up of performers includes violist Nadia Sirota, cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and Muhly as pianist. Kuusisto and Muhly then perform in a recital at Princeton University on 30 April, offering a programme which includes works by Bach, Pärt and Glass.

Kuusisto will then move from Carnegie Hall to Minnesota for his latest project as Artistic Partner of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (4 –13 May). The first of two programmes ​‘Intimate Voices’ trains the spotlight on the music of Sibelius, opening with Rakastava (The Lover), presenting arrangements by Jaakko Kuusisto (Pekka’s brother) of Sibelius’ Five Rustic Dances, and concluding with a string orchestra performance of the composer’s String Quartet Voces intimae. In the second week the orchestra and Kuusisto blend contemporary classical and traditional folk music in a programme that includes a new orchestration of Gabriel Kahane’s Orinoco Sketches, Grieg’s Holberg Suite and traditional Finnish and Swedish folk songs arranged by Pekka Kuusisto, Nico Muhly and Sam Amidon performed by Pekka Kuusisto and Sam Amidon.