Winter storm warnings in northern Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Concert violinist Pekka Kuusisto was on stage at a packed Royal Albert Hall in London. He had just played a concerto as part of the prestigious BBC Proms music festival, and the crowd wanted an encore. 

So, how did Kuusisto respond? By teaching the audience a Finnish folk song, and getting them to join in. 

Pekka Kuusisto’s hilarious Proms encore - My Darling Is Beautiful

Few violinists would respond that way, of course. But Kuusisto doesn't always do things the standard way, and that's caught the attention of critics and audiences. 

Kuusisto is in the Twin Cities for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's 

The festival takes its name from a quote by the composer Jean Sibelius: "For me, music begins where words end."

It's a beautiful concept that music can express so many things without speech, Kuusisto said. "The things that are so intensely private that they will be different for each listener."

He thinks the lonely, empty nature of Scandinavian countries influences composers of the region. 

This weekend, he'll perform works of Sibelius, a Finnish composer.

Here's how the orchestra describes the festival: 

To hear a conversation between Kuusisto and All Things Considered host Tom Crann, use the audio player above.

Arts and Culture

Music

Shows

All Things Considered

NewsPartners

MPR News Staff

Author

Violinist Pekka Kuusisto will perform this weekend at a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra event named for the Finnish composer Sibelius.

Violinist Pekka Kuusisto on the Where Words End festival

Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto is awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize.

A music festival for 'when words end'

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox