Finnish violinist Eriikka Maalismaa has Died, Aged 44

She served as a concertmaster of the Helsinki Philharmonic for ten years

Born in Oulu, Finland in 1980, violinist Eriikka Maalismaa recently passed away due to a rapidly progressing illness.

A graduate of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and Edsberg Chamber Music Institute in Stockholm, Maalismaa served as a concertmaster of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from 2006 to 2016 before turning to freelancing.

She was a member of the chamber orchestra Avanti!, as well as Avanti! String Quartet. Alongside pianist Emil Holmström and cellist Markus Hohti, she founded the Ristiveto Festival, which focuses on music and art of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Veli Kujala and Jouni Hirvelä have both composed a violin concerto for her and Maalismaa was recently elected as the second artistic director of the Oulu New Music October Festival.

In 2019, she released a recording of Schumann’s violin sonatas on period instruments with pianist Emil Holmström, which won an Emma award.  The duo's second recording was published in the Spring of 2021 and featured music from Amy Beach and sonatas by Richard Strauss.

Our condolences to Eriikka's family, friends, and colleagues.