The Finnish Baroque Orchestra (FiBO), founded in 1989, is in constant motion; it develops, renews and responds to challenges in its flexible and original way. By fearlessly grasping new possibilities, the orchestra has stayed at the forefront of the development in the cultural field. The refinement of the democratic value base is evident also in the model of artistic leadership.
Since 2018, the artistic leadership of the orchestra has been in the hands of the trio, an artistic team with three members. Two musician members are chosen from among the players for 2-year terms. Their task is to plan the orchestra’s repertoire and to outline the long-term development in cooperation with the Executive Manager of the orchestra. At the moment, violinist Anthony Marini and violinist Irma Niskanen are in charge of the artistic decision-making at the moment. The third member of the board is violist and Executive Manager Laura Kajander, who is mainly engaged with administrative and economic matters.
Anthony Marini (photo by Akifoto), Irma Niskanen (photo by Mark Niskanen) and Laura Kajander (photo by Akifoto).
Anthony Marini, co-artistic director
The American violinist Anthony Marini, now living in Finland, is specialized in baroque music and is often seen as the concertmaster or soloist in productions by the Finnish Baroque Orchestra, Espoo Baroque and the Musicians of the King’s Road. He has also played with The Kings Consort, Le Poème Harmonique, Helsinki Baroque, Ensemble Nyland and Les Ambassadeurs. He moved to Europe in 2010 and has after that broadened his horizons in Finland, France and other places through both classical music and folk music holding a violin, viola, viola da gamba, nyckelharpa (“keyed fiddle”) or viola d’amore in his hands.
Irma Niskanen, co-artistic director
The internationally renowned Baroque violinist Irma Niskanen is known for her deep knowledge of historical styles and for her curiosity about all that is new. She has performed with many leading Baroque orchestras, among them Il Pomo d’Oro, EUBO, Arte dei Suonatori, Les Ambassadeurs, Orkester Nord, Wiener Akademie, the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra. Niskanen lived for over a decade in Vienna, where she also teached at the University of Music and Performing Arts (MdW). She began her role as one of the artistic planners for the Finnish Baroque Orchestra in 2025.
ARTISTIC TEAM
Irma Niskanen 2025–
Marianna Henriksson 2023–
Anthony Marini 2022–
Pauliina Fred 2018–2021
Petteri Pitko 2017–4/2022
Laura Kajander 2018–
PREVIOUS ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Antti Tikkanen 2014–2017
Markku Luolajan-Mikkola 2010–2013
Tuomas Hannikainen 2005–2009
Jukka Rautasalo 2001–2004
Anssi Mattila 1998–2000
GUEST DIRECTORS
Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch 2012–2013
Georg Kallweit 2010–2012