Dagens Nyheter, 23 February 2010. (born 26 February 1970), previously known internationally by her stage name Linda Brava, is a Finnish classical concert violinist. Born in Finland into a Swedish-speaking Finnish family, she is a dual citizen of Finland and Sweden. Described as one of the most versatile and accomplished players of her generation, Lampenius has also performed pop, rock, folk, techno, film, jazz, and world music, among others.Linda. WSOY, 2003. She represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 alongside singer Pete Parkkonen with the song "", finishing 6th.
Background Lampenius was born into a Swedish-speaking Finnish family in which music formed a vital part of life. Her father, Börje Lampenius (1921–2016), was a former theatre director, actor, singer, and also a composer of musicals and operettas. Her mother, Ulla Eklund, is a former actress and singer. Both of them worked at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki.Lampenius, Linda in Uppslagsverket Finland.
At age three, Lampenius began to perform with her parents as a singer. Later on, in addition to her solo and orchestral performances, Lampenius would play the violin accompanied by her father on the piano, while her mother sang alongside them. In 1978, Vasabladet reported on Lampenius, a child violinist to remember, after her impressive solo concert appearance.
After leaving Finland in 1997, Lampenius has lived in Los Angeles, London, and Stockholm. She is married to Martin Cullberg, a Swedish defence lawyer, and they have two daughters: Olivia, born 2009, and Cecilia, born 2013. Lampenius's parents-in-law are professor Johan Cullberg and psychotherapist Marta Cullberg Weston.Me Naiset, 2/2010. She has been a dual citizen of Finland and Sweden since 2011, when she received Swedish citizenship.
Early years as a child violinist After attending a musical kindergarten, Lampenius began studying the violin at the age of five, under the guidance of Géza Szilvay, the developer of the Colourstrings method. Lampenius's career then began as a member and soloist of the Helsinki Strings at the age of seven with players two and even three times her age.The Upbringing of a Talented Violinist. Helsinki University Printing House, 2001.
Throughout her childhood, Lampenius toured all around the world with the Helsinki Strings, giving concerts in the likes of London, New York City, and Tokyo. As a child violinist, she also appeared on Finnish TV numerous times as part of the artistic-educational TV series Minifiddlers in Musicland on YLE.Classic FM Magazine, October 1999.
In fairly rapid succession, Lampenius was awarded a scholarship by the Swedish Cultural Foundation for being such a promising young violinist,Bettina på turné TV series on YLE FST5, 26 May 2008. became Concertmistress of the Helsinki Strings, and performed as a soloist of the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Finland at the age of 11.Good Morning Finland on MTV3, 12 June 2008. Around the same time, she was also selected for solo roles within the Helsinki Strings, touring among others in England.The Sunday Times, 20 July 1997.
Education and orchestral work Lampenius studied at the Sibelius Academy in Finland from 1985 to 1997, first in the youth department and then the Department of Soloists. She was one of the first students to get into the university based only on one's audition performance. At the Sibelius Academy, Lampenius studied the violin, music theory and history, pedagogy and opera singing,The X Factor Website, mtv3.fi/xfactor, 16 January 2010. having her own violin students as well. She also played in chamber ensembles, and her Ofelia quartet was chosen to perform in the final concert of the master class course given by the Amadeus Quartet.
Still a student, Lampenius acquired substantial orchestral experience. From 1990 through 1997, she served as Concertmistress of the Conducting Class Orchestra, taught by professors Jorma Panula and Eri Klas. She also served as Concertmistress of the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra on various occasions as well as played the 1st violin in the Finnish National Opera Orchestra for three years, before embarking on a full-time solo career.Iltalehti, 7 September 1996.
In addition to the Sibelius Academy, Lampenius also studied privately with professor Mauricio Fuks in the U.S.Ilta-Sanomat, 7 November 1997. as well as took part in numerous master classes in Finland, France, and Israel, including Shlomo Mintz's Keshet Eilon Violin Programme, studying with Shmuel Ashkenasi.Hufvudstadsbladet, 5 November 1995.Lumo, 11-12/2010.
, former leader of the Department of Soloists at the Sibelius Academy, has said that Lampenius "is a sensitive artistic type and very skillful and experienced as a musician. Her playing is high-quality and full-blooded". For conductor Atso Almila "it was self-evident that she was going to be one of the most notable Finnish violinists."Ilta-Sanomat, 27 February 1998. Violinist and pedagogue has stated that "Linda is very multiply gifted. She has aberrantly lots of capability of expression, strength and artistry and her playing is technically on quite a high level", while violinist and conductor Ari Angervo has said that Lampenius "just wanted to learn to play as well as possible, to go as deep as possible into music. To my mind she has succeeded in that. Linda is top talented as a violinist."Iltalehti, 16–17 June 2007. Furthermore, professor Mauricio Fuks has said that "she has a talent for learning and absorbing new things very quickly – Linda is very talented and takes her playing seriously – I am very happy getting to work with a person this sweet. We have been working daily and her playing keeps improving all the time. I would describe Linda as a natural talent, who is at home with the violin."
Musical career
Classical music Lampenius has performed chamber music all around Europe, Asia, and the US, working with various pianists, including Timo Koskinen, ,Iltalehti, 24 June 1999. Laura Mikkola,Ilta-Sanomat, 10 April 1997. Carina E. Nilsson,The Artist & Eventbolaget Website, artistocheventbolaget.com, 18 January 2010. Linn Hendry,Ilta-Sanomat, 20 November 1999. and .Linda Brava, EMI Classics, 1999. Lampenius has also made many solo orchestral appearances. In addition to Finnish and Swedish city orchestras,Helsingin Sanomat, 30 January 1997.Dala-Demokraten, 7 June 2003.Västerås Tidning, 8 August 2008. she has played with La Scala Opera OrchestraIlta-Sanomat, 18 June 1998. and toured with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.Iltalehti, 27 July 2008. "She captivated the audience at the Ulriksdal Palace park with passion – The harmonics, the left- and right-hand pizzicato, the ardour in tone, the double stops – it was there", wrote Svenska Dagbladet on her performance of Maurice Ravel's Tzigane with the Stockholm Sinfonietta.Svenska Dagbladet, 14 June 1998. Lampenius has also appeared as a soloist of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra.Irish Independent, 30 July 2010. In addition to headlining music festivals with José CarrerasUlriksdals Slottsgala 1998. and Kevin Kenner,The Malar International Music Festival 2008. Lampenius has also toured with Paul PottsDagen Nyheter, 19 February 2008. and performed with .
Lampenius moved to Sweden in 2002 and her first major concert tours in the country occurred a few years later. The outcome was successful as critics raved about her talent and she managed to break into the Swedish music scene. "She has been described as a super violinist with Playboy attraction. When Linda Lampenius takes the stage in light blue coverings it is completely without prima donna behaviour. With total stage presence and a bewitched violin she enchants the ears already from the start and there seems to be no end to the applause after the entrance performance" wrote Dalarnas TidningarDalarnas Tidningar, 22 March 2004. while Göteborgs-Posten reported how Lampenius's "music potpourri became a display in virtuoso violin playing" and that "she is undeniably a gifted musician with dazzling technique and a big amount of charm".Göteborgs-Posten, 2 April 2004. Lampenius has since participated in various concert tours and given concerts all around the country, performing among others with pianist Robert Wells,Aftonbladet, 6 July 2008. soprano Hannah Holgersson,Expressen, 28 November 2008. and harpist Monica Ramos.The Artist & Eventbolaget Website, artistocheventbolaget.com, 16 January 2010.
In addition to Sweden, Lampenius has continued performing internationally as well. Some of her special appearances have included performances for the NATO troops in Kosovo,Official Website of the NATO Kosovo Force, nato.int/KFOR, And the blonde played on, 2 January 2003. the Rhapsody in Rock show at the Royal Albert Hall in London,Evening Standard, 30 October 2003. and violin concerts in Astana, Kazakhstan,Viihdeuutiset on MTV3, 9 October 2006. Irkutsk, Siberia,Komsomolskaya Pravda – Irkutsk, 22 September 2006. and the Cannes Film Festival in South of France.Aamulehti, 25 May 2007. Lampenius also performs in corporate events on a regular basis, both in the Nordic countries and elsewhere, including a Ferrari and Maserati event in Moscow.The Ferrari & Maserati Showroom Opening in The Barvikha Luxury Village on 23 June 2006.
In 2010, Lampenius performed in the last concert of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra's Summer Concert Series, playing works by Turlough Carolan, Michael William Balfe, and Michael McGlynn.The RTÉ Performing Groups Website, rte.ie/performinggroups/, Musical Postcards: Ireland, 31 July 2010. She also appeared as a soloist of the Royal Swedish Chamber Orchestra in the grand finale concert of the 40th Annual Royal Palace Music Festival at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.The 40th Annual Royal Palace Music Festival, Grand Finale Concert at the Hall of State of the Stockholm Palace with Linda Lampenius, Bengan Janson, Frida Jansson, Magnus Svensson, Mats Liljefors and the Royal Swedish Chamber Orchestra, 16 September 2010.The Royal Palace Music Festival Website, royalfestivals.se, Grand Final, 21 September 2010. In 2011, Lampenius toured as a soloist of the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra Vienna,Good Morning Finland, 11 February 2010. co-headlining concerts in many of the major concert halls in the Nordic countries such as Finlandia Hall and Stockholm Concert Hall.The Nyårskonserten 2011 Website, nyarskonserten.se, Turnéplan (Tour Dates), 5 October 2010.
With her 1781 Gagliano violin, Lampenius has performed for many heads of state and royals, including the President of Finland,Helsingin Sanomat, 16 October 1997. Prince of Monaco, and the Royal Family of Sweden. Lampenius has also played for various European and American politicians, including the United States Secretary of Defense William Perry.Kirjeitä Suomesta (The Finnish Diaries), , Otava, 1998. Lampenius has also performed for some of the Nobel Prize laureates on the Arctic Circle during festivities marking the 300th anniversary of scientist Carl Linnaeus' birth.International Herald Tribune, 15 December 2007.