Arto Noras
Arto Noras is one of Finland’s most celebrated instrumentalists and amongst the most outstanding internationally acknowledged cellists of his generation. After completing his studies at the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, he studied with Paul Tortelier at the Paris Conservatoire where he gained the coveted Premier Prix Diploma in 1964. Two years later, he was awarded second prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, which immediately opened his way to the most important concert halls in Europe and both North and South America where he has performed regularly ever since.
Arto Nora’s repertoire covers all the principal works that have been written for his instrument, including those by contemporary composers, and he has recorded extensively for the Finlandia recording label. In 1970 Noras was appointed Professor of Cello at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and he teaches also at the University for Music and Theater in Hamburg. Noras has served as a jurist for some of the most important music competitions in the world, including the Tchaikovsky, Casals and Cassadó competitions. He can be heard as a most distinguished chamber musician as a member of the Helsinki Trio and as a founder member of the Sibelius Academy Quartet as well as with several other groups of similarly distinguished musicians.
In 1980, Arto Noras founded the Naantali Music Festival, Finland, and he is still the Artistic Manager. He also founded in 1991 and remains the Artistic Director of the Paulo International Cello Competition.
