Lilja Haatainen
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Helsinki Philharmonic: Emerging Artist
Lilja Haatainen is rapidly establishing herself as one of the most compelling young violinists of her generation, admired for her striking musical maturity, captivating stage presence and richly expressive sound. Despite her young age, she is already building an international profile through appearances with leading orchestras, festival invitations and collaborations with distinguished artists and conductors across Europe.
The 26/27 season includes debuts with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Munich Symphony Orchestra and Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, working respectively with Osmo Vänskä, Ross Jamie Collins and Kasmir Uusitupa. She also appears in recital at the Verbier Festival at Schloss Elmau and continues to perform regularly with major orchestras in her native Finland.
Having performed as soloist with many of Finland’s leading orchestras, including the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Finnish Chamber Orchestra, Jyväskylä Sinfonia, Oulu Symphony Orchestra, Pori Sinfonietta and Vaasa City Orchestra, she has also appeared in Germany with the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra. Her conductor collaborations include Nicholas Collon, Rumon Gamba, Manfred Honeck, Dalia Stasevska and Kristian Sallinen.
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Recent highlights include an appearance at the International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht at the invitation of Janine Jansen, a highly successful debut with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under Manfred Honeck, and the opening concert of the Sion Festival. She has also appeared at some of Finland’s leading summer festivals, including the Naantali Music Festival, Tammisaari Summer Concerts and the Mikkeli Festival, where she performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Erkki Lasonpalo.
In March 2025, Lilja was featured as the ‘Young Hero’ on the Dutch television programme Podium Klassiek, where she was interviewed and performed Pablo de Sarasate’s Zapateado.
Lilja made her concerto debut at the age of eight when she was selected as soloist for the Oulu Symphony Orchestra’s Young Soloists Concert. In 2022, she won the 10 – 12-year-old category of the national Jyväskylä Violin Competition and First Prize in the 9 – 13-year-old category of the Louis Spohr International Competition for Young Violinists in Germany.
Born in 2011, Lilja began playing the violin at the age of three. She studied at the Oulu Conservatory until 2022, when she moved to Porvoo to study with Janne Malmivaara. She is also a student of the Finnish Violin Academy, a specialist programme for exceptionally talented young violinists. Lilja’s studies are supported by the Stretton Society, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, Pro Musica and the Wihuri Foundation. She plays an 18th-century Italian violin on generous loan from a member of the Stretton Society.
