Annemarie Åström – Violin

Annemarie Åström (born in 1977) started playing the violin at the age of three after having become inspired by a television series run by Géza and Csaba Szilvay called Little Fiddlers in the Land of Music. At the Lohja Music Institute her teacher was Arja Sippel. Six years later Annemarie started studying with Arja’s teacher, Lajos Garam, at the West Helsinki Music Institute. Since the very beginning Annemarie has also studied chamber music and orchestral playing in addition to her own violin studies.

During the years 1992 – 1997 Annemarie studied in the Youth Department at the Sibelius Academy with Professor Tuomas Haapanen and conductor-violinist John Storgårds. During these years Annemarie was the principal leader and soloist in the Junior Strings Orchestra conducted by Géza and Csaba Szilvay. The orchestra made tours in Asia, the USA and Europe, and also made several recordings.

Since 1997 Annemarie has continued her studies abroad. After first studying in Gothenburg and Copenhagen with Professor Milan Vitek, she then continued her studies in Cologne with Professor Mihaela Martin. Annemarie has completed her studies both at the School of Music at the University of Gothenburg and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. She also holds a soloist diploma from the University of Gothenburg.

During 2002 – 2005 Annemarie held a post in the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra as the leader of the second violins. She has also been the principal leader on several occasions. For instance, in 2002 and 2003 she was the principal leader of Orkester Norden, conducted by Susanna Mälkki, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Okko Kamu and in 2008 – 2009 in Kokkola Opera Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo. Annemarie has also been substitute as second violin leader in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and as concert master in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Vaasa City Orchestra.

Annemarie also plays a lot of chamber music. She has performed at many festivals, among others the Chamber Music Festival in Stenungsund in Sweden as well as Sääksmäki Soi!, Riihimäki Summer Concerts and Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland. She has played together with Ralf Gothoni, Okko Kamu, Nobuko Imai, Vladimir Mendehlsson, Hagai Shaham, and Massimo Quarta. Besides playing together with her duo partner Sonja Fräki, she also plays in the Swedish-Finnish chamber music group AND Ensemble. In addition, she plays in a piano trio called the KAAÅS-trio together with Tiina Karakorpi, piano and Ulla Lampela, cello and in a string trio, Trio ArTempo together with Anna Rajamäki, viola and Tomas Nunez-Garces, cello.

Annemarie plays a Guarneri-violin, currently owned by Sibelius Academy, donated by Anja Ignatius

www.annemarieastrom.fi