Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Tarmo Peltokoski & Martin Helmchen

Led by Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra makes its Helsinki debut with German pianist Martin Helmchen.

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Tarmo Peltokoski, conductor & piano
Martin Helmchen, piano

Programme:
Yao Chen: Waltz of the Rolling Giants
Camille Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals (2-piano version with orchestra)
Richard Wagner: The Ring – An Orchestral Adventure (Arranged by Henk de Vlieger in 1991)

Led by Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra makes its Helsinki debut at Musiikkitalo with German pianist Martin Helmchen, performing Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals and Wagner’s The Ring – An Orchestral Adventure.

Founded as the Sino-British Orchestra in 1947 and turned professional in 1974, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is recognised as one of Asia’s leading ensembles. The HK Phil is celebrated for its landmark recording of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and recent collaborations with Deutsche Grammophon. In 2019, it became the first Asian orchestra to win the prestigious Gramophone Orchestra of the Year Award. The orchestra has flourished under the leadership of Edo de Waart and Jaap van Zweden. Currently, Tarmo Peltokoski serves as Music Director Designate, officially stepping into the role in the 2026/27 season.

Described by the Tagesspiegel as “a talent of a century,” Tarmo Peltokoski has rapidly established himself on the international stage. In January 2022, he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, marking the first time in the orchestra’s history that such a position has been held. He also serves as Music Director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Principal Guest Conductor of Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest and Conductor Laureate of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, where he held his first Music Director position from 2022 to 2025. Peltokoski starts his tenure as Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in the 2026/27 season and begins a three-year residency as “Exklusivkünstler” at Konzerthaus Dortmund.

At the age of 22, Peltokoski completed his first Wagner Ring cycle at the Eurajoki Bel Canto Festival. He continues his deep involvement with Wagner through productions of Tristan und Isolde at the Dutch National Opera (February 2026) and a debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin with Parsifal (April 2026). Additionally, his recording of “Der Ring – An Orchestral Adventure” with the HK Phil was released by Deutsche Grammophon in March 2026.

Martin Helmchen has performed on the world’s most prestigious stages for two decades, established as one of today’s most sought-after pianists. His artistry is defined by exceptional tonal sensitivity and technical finesse—qualities that earned him the Gramophone Classical Music Award in 2020. His recordings for Alpha Classics include a complete Schubert sonata cycle, with the first volume receiving the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.

Celebrated for his structural clarity and visceral energy, The New York Times describes his playing as forming “melodic phrases as clear and elegant as the columns of a Greek temple” while “making sparks fly.” In the autumn of 2026, Helmchen appears with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and embarks on a tour with the HK Phil under the baton of Tarmo Peltokoski in November – December 2026. This tour includes performances at iconic venues such as the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Musiikkitalo in Helsinki, the Kuppelsaal in Hannover, and the Wiener Konzerthaus.