Photo: Heikki Tuuli

Kasmir Uusitupa

Kasmir Uusitupa, starting violin at three, progressed through Itä-Helsinki Music School, Sibelius Academy’s Youth Department, to professional studies at University of the Arts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy, Paris Conservatory, and Menuhin Academy. His key violin mentors include Kaija Saarikettu, Lauri Untamala, Paavo Pohjola, Antti Tikkanen, Olivier Charlier, Oleg Kaskiv, and Maxim Vengerov. Uusitupa’s musical background includes a generous dose of folk music, nurtured in family musical sessions. His enduring interest in various music styles and improvisation has remained a vital part of his musical identity throughout his life.

Uusitupa has made appearances in nearly every leading Finnish orchestra, whether as a conductor, soloist, or concertmaster. Regularly performing as a chamber musician at festivals across Finland and Europe, he currently holds the position of the 2nd concertmaster at the Finnish National Opera and serves as the conductor of the Helsinki Junior Strings. His conducting studies began at the Jorma Panula Academy in 2016 and continued in Sakari Oramo’s conducting class at the Sibelius Academy from the fall of 2023. Uusitupa’s comprehensive approach to making music, has solidified his position as one of Finland’s most versatile musicians among the new generation.

Uusitupa plays on a Spiritus Sorsana ”Liisa Huovinen” violin (~1700, Cuneo, Italy), kindly on loan from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.