09.12.2025

Vivian Stolt appointed as General Manager of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra

Vivian Stolt will take up the position of General Manager of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra in February 2026. The Board of the Kokkola Orchestra Association made the appointment in early November.

Vivian Stolt holds a Master’s degree in Music from the Sibelius Academy, a Bachelor of Laws from Tilburg University in the Netherlands, and a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from Columbia University in New York. She joins the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra from her current role as General Manager of the Waterperry Opera Festival in the United Kingdom.

“The Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra holds a unique position in the Finnish music landscape. I approach this role with enthusiasm and ambition, and I am very much looking forward to creative and goal-oriented collaboration with the orchestra’s musicians, the next Artistic Director Kasmir Uusitupa and the orchestra’s administration and board,” Stolt says.

Previously, Stolt has served as Executive Director of the Kamarikesä Festival in Helsinki and as Producer at the Finnish String Academy, supporting exceptionally talented Finnish string musicians. In New York, she gained experience in fundraising with the New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre, and as a member of the assistant team to the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera. As a violinist, she has worked, among others, in the orchestra of the Finnish National Opera.

”My goal is to strengthen the profile of the Central Ostrobothnia Chamber Orchestra as an internationally appealing ensemble that engages audiences in diverse ways. The upcoming strategic work will focus on enhancing the orchestra’s competitiveness, opening new channels for collaboration both nationally and internationally, and ambitiously developing the regional fundraising culture, with the orchestra at the heart of all activities."

Stolt will take up the position as General Manager of the OCO on 2 February 2026. During spring and summer 2026, Emilia Otava will serve as Deputy General Manager. Otava has served as OCO’s Acting General Manager since July 2024.

Tiina Isotalus, Chair of the Board of the Kokkola Orchestra Association, comments: “We received an impressive range of applications from candidates with both nationally and internationally significant expertise. This shows that the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra is well known and that the General Manager’s role is an attractive career opportunity. We believe that Vivian will bring valuable expertise and a new generational perspective to the orchestra’s national and international profile, as well as to marketing, fundraising, and collaborative initiatives.”