Lahti Symphony Orchestra’s project ”Carbon-free Lahti Symphony Orchestra” has been awarded Classical:NEXT 2018 Innovation Award on Saturday last week.

Carbon-free Lahti Symphony Orchestra is a contribution to the efforts to reduce the pace of global climate change by gradually making the orchestra’s activities carbon-neutral. The orchestra has calculated its carbon footprint and created an action plan. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra is taking the lead as an environmentally responsible artistic organisation by adopting carbon neutrality as one of its operational objectives.

The orchestra’s general manager Teemu Kirjonen, sees the orchestra’s climate project as a natural part of the City of Lahti’s environmental strategy, according to which the city is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, compared to 1990 levels per capita. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra’s musicians and administrative staff have been involved in making the decision to launch the project, and in associated brainstorming activities.

Other winners were Aurora Orchestra from the UK and Les Talens Lyriques’ t@lenschool from France (both also pictured in the photo). The winners were chosen by a voting of the Classical:NEXT community. The winners were revealed and the awards presented at the closing ceremony of Classical:NEXT 2018 on Saturday 19 May.

The 23 expert members of international nominating committee narrowed down the 28-strong longlist to create the Classical:NEXT 2018 Innovation Award Shortlist of twelve of the most forward thinking, outstanding and exciting projects in the classical world today.

Besides Carbon Free Orchestra, there was also another Finnish project on the Innovation Award shortlist: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra’s Godchildren. The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra invited for the second time an entire age group – babies born in Helsinki in 2012 – to be its godchildren and offers them concerts twice a year.