Juho Pohjonen

piano

Juho Pohjonen is a highly acclaimed Finnish pianist who has captivated audiences worldwide with his exceptional talent and unique musical expression. He has garnered international acclaim for his performances across Europe, Asia, and North America. His versatile artistry is evident in appearances with symphony orchestras, in recital, and through chamber music collaborations. Across these settings, his repertoire frequently highlights works by acclaimed Finnish composers such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kaija Saariaho, and Jean Sibelius, reflecting his deep affinity for Scandinavian music.

This season, Juho Pohjonen performs Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor with the Philharmonia Orchestra, under the baton of Vinay Parameswaran. He also makes an appearance at Wigmore Hall alongside violinist Stephan Waarts and cellist Jonathan Swensen. In his home country of Finland, Pohjonen participates in the Lux Musicae Festival. In North America, he continues his long-standing relationship with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, performing at the Lincoln Center and venues across the United States, and also performs with the LA Chamber Orchestra.

Last season, Juho Pohjonen collaborated with violinist Erin Keefe for Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin, Piano, and Strings with the Kymi Sinfonietta under the direction of Osmo Vänskä, and participated in the Macula Musica series in Helsinki. He also performed Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Giedrė Šlekytė. His European engagements included recitals and chamber music performances at Festspiele Südtirol, Amsterdam Chamber Festival and the Surrey Hills International Music Festival. In the US, he toured with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, performing in Grand Rapids, Virginia, Florida, and at Alice Tully Hall.

As a soloist, Pohjonen has graced stages with some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras and conductors. He has been invited to perform with renowned orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Danish National Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. His collaborations extend to esteemed conductors, including Marin Alsop, Marek Janowski, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Osmo Vänskä, and Pinchas Zukerman.

On the recital stage, Pohjonen has performed throughout Europe, including in Antwerp, Hamburg, Helsinki, London’s Wigmore Hall, St. Petersburg, and Warsaw. In North America he has appeared at the Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Kennedy Center, and in Philadelphia, San Francisco, La Jolla, Detroit, and Vancouver. His festival appearances include Lucerne, Savonlinna, Bergen, Mecklenberg-Vorpommern as well as the Mostly Mozart Festival.

Juho Pohjonen’s recordings showcase the breadth and depth of his musicianship. His recently released album on Orchid Records, “Visionaries of the Keyboard”, features works by Rameau and Scriabin. This album highlights Pohjonen’s ability to navigate the complex, emotive landscapes of Rameau’s baroque elegance and Scriabin’s modernist mysticism. Additionally, Pohjonen featured on two other albums released last season: “Poltera plays Prokofiev” with cellist Christian Poltéra,” where he and cellist Christian Poltéra perform Prokofiev’s Cello Sonata in C major and Brett Dean’s “Rooms of Elsinore,” where Pohjonen’s collaboration brings a fresh perspective to Dean’s evocative and atmospheric work. Plateaux, his debut recording on Dacapo Records, featured works by late Scandinavian composer Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, including the solo piano suite For Piano, and piano concerto Plateaux pour Piano et Orchestre, with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Ed Spanjaard. Pohjonen joins violinist Petteri Iivonen and cellist Samuli Peltonen to form the Sibelius Trio, who released a recording on Yarlung Records in honour of Finland’s 1917 centennial of independence. The album, described by Stereophile as “a gorgeous debut”, included works by Sibelius and Saariaho.

Pohjonen’s studies began at the Junior Academy of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 1989, under the guidance of Meri Louhos. He continued his education at the Sibelius Academy, earning his Master’s Degree in 2008 under the tutelage of Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna. In 2009, he was selected by Sir András Schiff as the winner of the Klavier Festival Ruhr Scholarship. Pohjonen is also an alumnus of the prestigious Kronberg Academy and has garnered prizes at both international and Finnish competitions.

Pohjonen launched MyPianist in 2019, an AI-based iOS app that provides interactive piano accompaniment to musicians everywhere. Designed and programmed by Pohjonen himself and infused with his keen musical sensibility, MyPianist acts as a “virtual pianist” for musicians looking to hone their skills or learn new material. MyPianist carefully “listens” to the musician’s playing and recreates the piano part in real time, matching the timing and nuances of the live performance. More information at https://mypianist.app.