Technical virtuosity and a unique musical chemistry unite the lyrical soprano Erika Baikoff, one of the most captivating voices of her generation, and the lied pianist Keval Shah, renowned for his versatility. This concert opens a window to a most atmospheric Christmas!

A graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, American soprano Erika Baikoff is the first-prize winner of both the 2019 Helmut Deutsch Liedwettbewerb and the 10th Concours international de chant-piano Nadia et Lili Boulanger. She is also a BBC New Generation Artist. Highlights of Baikoff’s rapidly rising career as an orchestral soloist include the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s tour of Das Rheingold under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with the Ulster Orchestra / Daniele Rustioni and with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra / Nathalie Stutzmann, as well as debuts with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and La Cetra Barockensemble. On the recital stage, her debut appearances include the Brucknerhaus Linz and Wiener Konzerthaus, alongside returns to the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In 2023, she visited Finland as a soloist with the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, earning high praise for her beautiful lyrical voice.

Keval Shah, Lecturer in Lied, Phonetics and Vocal Music at the University of the Arts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy, has quickly gained an international reputation as a musician of the new generation who open-mindedly connects cultures, concepts, and people through his concerts. Shah believes in the power of song and chamber music to build bridges between cultures and social groups in multicultural environments. He is also a passionately active innovator of the concert experience. Beyond the concert stage, Keval Shah is a familiar voice on the radio, regularly hosting music programmes on BBC radio channels.