Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn
Risto Joost, conductor
Arvo Pärt: Adam's Lament
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn
Risto Joost conductor
20. – 22.09./25.09.2026
Agnes Ida Pettersen: Concerto for violin & Hardanger fiddle (world premiere) (15-20‘)
Max Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 (25')
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 „Scottish“ (40')
Ragnhild Hemsing violin
Risto Joost conductor
Cast: 35 musicians
23. - 25.10.2026
Igor Strawinsky: Concerto in Re
John Corigliano: Percussion Concerto The Conjurer
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 G minor KV 550
Vivi Vassileva percussion
Risto Joost conductor
Cast: 27 musicians
06. – 08.01.2027
New Year’s Programme
George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
etc.
NN piano
Risto Joost conductor
Cast: 44 musicians
14.01. – 22.01.2027 or 01. – 08.02.2027
Hans Gál: Serenade for String Orchestra op. 46 (1937)
Astor Piazzolla: Four Seasons for violin and strings
Dag Wirén: Serenade for String Orchestra op. 11
Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story (excerpts for violin and strings)
Hans Christian Aavik violin
Risto Joost conductor
Cast: 22 musicians
28. – 31.01.2027
Anna Clyne or John Adams: tba
Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto (23‘)
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3 (35‘)
Hans Christian Aavik violin
Risto Joost conductor
Cast: 38 musicians
Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn
Driven by the inspiration and passion of its musicians, the name Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn (WCO) stands for a musical style that is both energetic and subtle, a special homogeneity, great flexibility of sound and outstanding expertise in orchestral accompaniment.
In 2025 the WCO celebrated its 65th anniversary with an unrivalled success story.
The WCO is the life's work of conductor Jörg Faerber who founded the orchestra in 1960 and led it to international renown, succeeded by Ruben Gazarian and Case Scaglione.
Since 2024/25, Estonian Risto Joost has been Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn focussing on contemporary Baltic repertoire, modernism and romanticism in his first season.
Since 2020, the WCO has been working with a special musical personality as Artistic Partner for a specific period of time in addition to the chief conductor. This began in 2020 with the conductor and violinist Emmanuel Tjeknavorian. Since 2023, pianist, conductor and percussionist Frank Dupree has been the WCO's Artistic Partner.
With a roster of first-class guest musicians, the WCO increasingly performs symphonic repertoire in extended formations. Openness and interest in new formats as well as cultural synergies characterise the orchestra's unique profile.
Around 80 concerts per season take the WCO to renowned concert venues such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Queen Elisabeth Hall Antwerp, Konzerthaus Berlin, Philharmonie Köln, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Frauenkirche Dresden and to festivals such as Rheingau Music Festival. In 2022, the WCO undertook a highly successful tour of South Korea under Case Scaglione. In autumn 2025, the orchestra gave a guest performance in Estonia.
Collaboration with international soloists has always been a defining feature. The list of soloists with whom the WCO has performed on stage reads like a Who's Who of music history. Recently, the WCO has performed with artists such as Ray Chen, Julia Fischer, Gautier Capuçon, Sabine Meyer, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Herbert Schuch, Johannes Moser, Sharon Kam, Daniel Müller-Schott, Asya Fateyeva, Alisa Weilerstein, Isabelle van Keulen, Lena Neudauer, Arabella Steinbacher, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Bomsori Kim, Michael Barenboim and Daniel Ottensamer.
In addition to its extensive concert activities, the WCO Heilbronn shapes the musical events of its region with its own subscription series in Heilbronn and Ulm, opera productions with the Heilbronn Theatre and the annual Klassik Open Air in Heilbronn, which was initiated by the orchestra. In addition to innovative concert formats, the WCO presents an imaginative educational programme for children and young people of all ages, as well as a chamber music series conceived by the orchestra members themselves.
The orchestra has recorded countless albums for Deutsche Grammophon, Teldec and EMI with renowned soloists, many of which have been honoured with international awards.
In May 2026, the orchestra’s latest album Kiss of Fire, featuring the Ensemble Spark, was released on Berlin Classics. The recording of works by Nikolai Kapustin, featuring pianist Frank Dupree, was awarded the prestigious ICMA in 2022. The album of works by Frank Martin made it onto the shortlist for the German Record Critics’ Award.
Season 2026/27
Risto Joost Conductor
Estonian conductor Risto Joost excels by his stylistic versatility and has gained widespread recognition for his work both in the opera pit and on concert stage. The trained singer has already held major artistic positions such as Chief Conductor of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and longstanding conductor of the Estonian National Opera.
Since 2020/21 he is Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Estonian National Theatre Tartu, since 2024/25 he is Chief Conductor of Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn. From 2027/28 Risto Joost holds the position as Chief Conductor of Kuopio Symphony Orchestra.
Risto Joost is a sought-after guest conductor with orchestras such as Helsinki Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Norwegian Opera Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Lahti Sinfonia,
Turku Philharmonic, Oulu Sinfonia, Trondheim Symphony, Kristiansand Symphony, Vaasa City Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony, Latvian Symphony and Estonian National Symphony. He was also at the rostrum of Bavarian State Orchestra, MDR Symphony Leipzig, Dortmund Philharmonic, Netherlands Philharmonic, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Antwerp Symphony, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Orchester des Teatro la Fenice, Slovenian Philharmonic, Brno Philharmonic, Janacek Philharmonic among others.
Upcoming highlights with the Estonian National Theatre Tartu include Wagner’s ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen and a Gustav Mahler cycle as well as invitations to the Royal Danish Opera Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Noord Nederlands Orkest and Kuopio Symphony.
Risto Joost’s discography includes four albums by Tõnu Korvits: The Sound of Wings and You are Light and Morning (Sei la luce e il mattino) with Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Hymns to the Nordic Lights with Estonian National Symphony as well as Moorland Elegies (all Ondine). Furthermore it contains works by Haydn with Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Peeter Vähi with Latvian National Symphony, Arvo Pärt with Netherlands Chamber Orchestra.
For his artistic activities in Estonia and abroad, Risto Joost received the music award of the Cultural Foundation in Estonia in 2016 and was awarded the Young Cultural Figure Award of the Estonian Republic in 2011. He was Prizewinner of the Malko Conducting Competition 2015 and Jorma Panula Conducting Competition 2012.
Risto Joost has studied at the Estonian Academy of Music, University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna as well as at Royal College of Music in Stockholm with Jorma Panula.
In 1999 Risto Joost founded the chamber choir Voces Musicales/Voces Tallinn and has been Artistic Director of the Birgitta Festival Tallinn in 2017 and 2018.
Season 2026/27
News/Info
Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra & Risto Joost
The Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra unter Risto Joost join for the first time in two concerts in Tallinn and Tartu on 22/23 November 2025.
Programme: Strauss: Sextet from: “Capriccio” Op. 85 (COH), Peteris Vasks: Violin Concerto “Distant Light” (Michael Barenboim, COH), Arvo Pärt: “Greater Antiphons” (COH+TCO), Strauss: “Metamorphoses" (COH+TCO).