Nora Niskanen

Clarinetist Nora Niskanen is a Finnish orchestra and chamber musician, and pedagogue. Since 2016 she has worked as the co-principal and Eb clarinetist of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra at the Sibelius Hall. Previously Niskanen held a co-principal position at the Oulu Symphony, Finland’s northernmost symphony orchestra. Along with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, she is a regular guest at the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Avanti Chamber Orchestra and the Finnish National Opera Orchestra. Among her memorable collaborations are performances with conductors Hannu Lintu, Susanna Mälkki, Sakari Oramo, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Dima Slobodeniouk, Dalia Statevska and Osmo Vänskä.

Niskanen is a Sibelius Academy graduate. She achieved her master of music degree 2007 with highest distinction, as a student of Prof. Harri Mäki. She completed her studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music with Prof. Hans Christian Braein. A major influence on Niskanen was also the clarinetist José Luis Estellés, with whom she studied both privately and in several masterclasses. Other influential teachers were Yehuda Gilad, François Benda and Ralph Manno. Niskanen herself has helped several young clarinetists in their pursuit of a career in music. She teaches both privately and as a guest teacher in music institutes and master classes.

Chamber music has always played an important role in Niskanen’s career. She performs chamber music regularly, and is an avid program planner for her orchestras. Niskanen was the founder of Oulu Symphony’s chamber music series and is committed to enriching the chamber music life in her current home town Lahti.

In 2023 Nora Niskanen and her colleagues from the Helsinki and Turku Philharmonic orchestras founded a woodwind quintet Ilmiö Ensemble. Ilmiö is a Finnish word that translates to “phenomenon”. Accordingly, the ensemble’s special focus is on the magic of the acoustical phenomena in each unique concert venue. The ensemble approaches this by contrasting solo and duo works with bigger ensembles, and using the concert space in new, creative ways. Ilmiö’s mission is to bring well-being to their audience - and to themselves - with the intimacy and pure joy of good chamber music.