31/08/2026
✨ Back home after an unforgettable conference in Helsinki! 🇫🇮🎻
A huge thank you to ESTA Finland for a beautifully organised and inspiring conference! Fascinating lectures, wonderful concerts and, above all, so many lovely colleagues from all over the world. Sharing ideas, music and experiences together was truly special. ❤️
I’m also incredibly proud to have presented my own workshop alongside inspiring figures such as Mimi Zweig and many other wonderful teachers and musicians.
One of the highlights was visiting Ainola, the home of Jean and Aino Sibelius, and hearing his granddaughter Satu Jalas play on Sibelius’s own violin. A magical experience. ❤️
And the music! 🎶
Lilja Haatainen – an amazing young talent to watch.
Réka Szilvay & Marko Ylönen – breathtaking musicianship.
And my mentor and inspiration Géza Szilvay, conducting more than 200 young string players. What a moment!
Finland has such an incredible wealth of young musical talent – including Rebecca Roozeman, winner of the 2026 Oskar Back Prize, who was educated at the Sibelius Academy.
There is certainly a lot we can learn from Finland! 🇫🇮
I’m coming home with my head full of ideas, my heart full of music and lots of new inspiration for my teaching and ensembles. ❤️🎻
ESTA International The 54th Annual International ESTA Conference ESTA Nederland
