About this Event
Laura Mikkola
Pianist Laura Mikkola has studied at the Sibelius-Academy , The Curtis Institute of Music and in Indiana University. She studied with Tapani Valsta, Gary Graffman, Menahem Pressler and Ferenc Rados.
Mikkola has won first Prize in Ravel Competition in France , 1988, Maj Lind Piano Competition in Finland, 1992, Unisa Transnet Piano Competition in South-Africa, 1994. In 1995 she won second Prize and public Prize at the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition in Brussels. Mikkola received Finland Prize in 1995.
Mikkola has played as orchestral soloist and solo pianist in world’s most prestigious concert stages widely in Europe, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, South-America and the Middle East. She has played as a soloist with more than a hundred orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Münchner Philharmoniker , Nagoya Symphony Orchestra, The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic.
Mikkola is the Artistic Director of Iitti Music Festival since 2003.
She has made numerous recordings for various record labels and her playing has been recorded several times on radio and television channels in different countries. Mikkola has recorded all solo Piano works and three Piano Concertos of Einojuhani Rautavaara.Rautavaara has dedicated two works, Passionale and Fuoco for her.
Fredrika Mikkola
Fredrika Mikkola was born on October 15, 2007 in Helsinki, Finland. She began to study the violin at the age of 3. Since 2014, she studied with professor Tuomas Haapanen. In 2015 she was accepted to the Conservatoire Francis Poulenc in Paris to study with Constantin Bogdanas and in 2017 to the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris to study with Florin Szigeti. At 14 years old, Fredrika was accepted to study at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with Philippe Graffin and José Alvarez. In 2025, she completed the Bachelor's degree and her High School "Baccalauréat" and at the moment she is pursuing a Master's degree. Fredrika won first prize at the Vatelot-Rampal violin competition in Paris in 2020. Fredrika has performed as a soloist with St. Michel Strings and Maestro Okko Kamu in 2017, 2022 and 2023 in Finland. In 2018, she performed at Iitti music festival in an ensemble led by composer Gabriel Yared. In 2023, Fredrika had a Solo recital in the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
In January 2024, she was soloist with Young Belgian Strings and Maestro Dirk van de Moortel in Belgium. In july 2024, Fredrika performed in an ensemble at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris. In september 2024, she played a contemporary piece by David Chaillou for France Musique live radio broadcast in Paris. She has performed in Finland in Helsinki, Kemijärvi, Rovaniemi, Karjalohja, Hamina, Kuusamo, the Iitti music festival and the Kuhmo chamber music festival; in France in Paris, Bourgogne, and Saumur; in Italy in Mantova, Siena, and Cividale del Friuli;
In Belgium in Brussels and in USA in Seattle, Benaroya Hall. In 2026, she performed as soloist with Lappeenranta City Orchestra and Maestro Erkki Lasonpalo and with NES orchestra and Maestro Dmitry Sitkovetsky.
Paul Silverthorne
For many years Paul Silverthorne combined his solo career with the principal position in two of the most prestigious ensembles in London; the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta.
His solo performances have taken him to the USA, China, Japan, Australia, Russia, Ukraine and Africa as well as the UK and Europe. After a performance at the BBC Proms in London, The Times described him as “a virtuoso in sensitivity and technique”. He has performed as soloist with most of the UK’s leading orchestras and many abroad.
His interpretations of new music have led to leading composers of being inspired to write for him. His recordings cover a wide range of repertoire and have received widespread acclaim. This Summer recordings of two new viola concertos by Robin Stevens and Steve Elcock with the Royal Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra were released by Toccata Classics.
He teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in London, many of his former students, coming from all corners of the globe, hold prominent positions in orchestras around the world. He has also given masterclasses at many conservatories and universities in Europe, Asia and the USA. In recent years he has been busy publishing arrangements and editions with Skellton Edition, the most recent being a new edition of Brahms‘ two sonatas op 120 in their viola version which includes previously unpublished material.
Event venue & nearby stays
Steinway Hall, 44 Marylebone Lane, London, United Kingdom
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