Recently relocated to Rovaniemi, Abel Puustinen is the Concertmaster (1st violin) of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. He does not shy away from diving into the depths of the internet to discover classical music treasures hidden in the digital wilderness. Alongside this hobby, Puustinen is an active chamber and orchestral musician. In recent years, he has been a sought-after leader, performing with ensembles such as the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

As a passionate chamber musician, Puustinen has performed at numerous unforgettable festivals both within Finland and abroad, collaborating with inspiring colleagues. Balancing freelance work and studies, he has also appeared as a soloist with some of Finland’s major orchestras, most recently with the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, Jyväskylä Sinfonia, and Kuopio City Orchestra.

 

The Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Wihuri Foundation have supported Puustinen’s artistic journey towards deeper wisdom and understanding of the true differences in geographical soundscapes.

 

Great joy and pride in Puustinen’s artistic work also comes from playing a violin kindly loaned to him by the Finnish Cultural Foundation — a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin built in the 18th century.