Open vacancies

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra is a dynamic, innovative orchestra maintained by the Finnish city of Lahti. In addition to offering audiences a wide range of concerts, the orchestra does touring and is active in recording and education. Its home is the Sibelius Hall, famous for its magnificent acoustics. In the autumn 2025 Hannu Lintu will start as the artistic partner of the orchestra. The orchestra seeks to recruit first-class players with good teamworking skills.

CONCERTMASTER

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra invites applications for the position of CONCERTMASTER (first position). Work starts on 2nd of January 2026 or when agreed.

The leader, together with the alternating leader, is responsible for rehearsing and developing the string sections, maintaining his/her soloistic skills as required by the orchestral repertoire, and providing advice on obtaining assistant and substitute players for the First Violin section. The leader performs the solo violin parts in orchestral works, assists the conductors in artistic matters when necessary, and directs the orchestra tuning before rehearsals and performances. When selecting a player for this post, we will attach importance to his/her experience in similar positions, and to good collaborative and interactive skills.

The salary, including the individual pay component and recording supplement, is 4596-4963 € per month. The concertmaster of Lahti Symphony Orchestra will have the opportunity to use high level instrument of Santo Serafin from ca. 1740.

1. Pre-selection 

Instructions for making video:

Repertoire of the pre-selection video  

One of the following concertos: 1^st and 2^nd movements (without piano accompaniment) 

• J. Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op.77 
• P. Tsaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D, Op.35 
• J. Sibelius: Violin Concerto in d, Op.47 
• F. Mendelssohn: Violin Concwerto in e, Op.64 
• L. van Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D, Op.61 

Orchestral excerpts

• J. Sibelius: Symphony No. 5, 1^st mvt.  
• J. Sibelius: Symphony No. 4, 4^th mvt. 

The orchestral excerpts of the pre-selection video can be downloaded here:

2. Audition on November 24^th, 2025 

• The orchestra will choose the participants to the audition based on the video and information in the applications
• Invitations to the audition will be sent in week 42/2025.
• The Audition will be arranged as followed: It will be held in the Sibelius Hall’s main hall (Ankkurikatu 7, Lahti) on November 24th, 2025, from 10 a.m. onwards.

Audition repertoire 

Choose one of the following: 1^st mvt. until the recapitulation with cadenza 

• W.A. Mozart: Violin Concerto No.3 in G KV216  
• W.A. Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 4 in D KV218 
• W.A. Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A KV219

Download the orchestral excerpts:

Applications

• The closing date for applications is Tuesday, September 30th, 2025. Please fill in your application at www.kuntarekry.fi (ID LAHTI-02-25-25). Feedback on the videos is not provided.

The audition may include an interview and a personal evaluation. Should a present member of the orchestra be appointed to the post, his/her successor may be selected at the same audition. A trial period (6 months) is assigned to the selected person.

SOLO CELLO

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra invites applications for the position of SOLO CELLO starting on 7th January 2026 or as agreed.

The solo cellist participates in orchestra and small group work and is responsible for the ensemble playing of the cello section by rehearsing, supervising, and developing it. The solo cello maintains the soloistic skills required by orchestral literature and provides guidance in the recruitment of assistants and substitutes for the cello section. She/he performs the solo cello parts of orchestral works. The position requires sufficient experience in orchestral work. We appreciate the experience of similar tasks and good cooperation and interaction skills.

The salary, including the individual pay component and recording supplement is 3824-4130 € per month.

Audition repertoire

• Joseph Haydn: Cello concerto in D, 1^st movement with cadenza
• A. Dvorak: Cello Concerto in h, 1st movement OR R. Schumann: Cello Concerto in a, 1st movement
• Orchestral excerpts
• Chamber music

Download the orchestral excerpts and chamber music:

Audition on the 3^rd of November 2025

• The orchestra will choose the participants to the audition based on the information in the applications
• Invitations to the audition will be sent during the week 40/2025
• The Auditions will be held in the Sibelius hall (Ankkurikatu 7, Lahti) on Monday 3^rd of November from 11 a.m. onwards.
• An interview may be included in the audition.

Applications

• The closing date for applications is Monday 29^th of September 2025. Please fill in your application at www.kuntarekry.fi (ID LAHTI-02-254-25).

A trial period (6 months) is assigned to the selected person.

HORN, CO-PRINCIPAL

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra invites applications for the position of HORN, CO-PRINCIPAL starting on 7th of January 2026.

Co-principal horn plays 2^nd horn. The task includes obligation to play 1^st/3^rd horn and the Vienna horn. Musician at the orchestra and chamber groups, maintains the capability required by orchestral literature. He/she also together with principal horn leads the horn section by rehearsing, supervising and developing it, and provides instructions for acquiring group assistants and substitutes. We appreciate the experience of similar tasks and good cooperation and interaction skills.

The salary, including the individual pay component and recording supplement is 3237-3496 € per month.

1. Pre-selection

Instructions for making video:

Repertoire of the pre-selection video 

• W.A. Mozart: Horn Concerto no. 4 in Es, K.495, 1^st movement with cadenza without piano accompaniment

2. Audition on the 27^th of October 2025

• The orchestra will choose the participants to the audition based on the information in the applications
• Invitations to the audition will be sent on week 40/2025
• The auditions will be held at the Sibelius Hall (Ankkurikatu 7, Lahti) on Monday 27^th of October from 11 a.m. onwards.

Audition repertoire:

• 1^st round
  • W.A. Mozart: Horn Concerto no. 3, 1st movement with cadenza
  • R. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel
    (Should be performed in this order.)
• 2^nd round
  • R. Strauss: Horn Concerto no. 1, 1^st movement
• Other orchestral excerpts.

Orchestral excerpts are downloaded here:

Applications

• The closing date for applications is Monday 22^nd of September 2025. Please fill in your application www.kuntarekry.fi (ID LAHTI-06-37-25).

A trial period (6 months) is assigned to the selected person.

Upcoming auditions 2026:

• II violin (Associate Principal)
• I violin (tutti)

Audition inquiries: Deputy Genaral Manager, Heli Leppälä-Hakala, audition@lahti.fi