LINDA LAMPENIUS (BRAVA) joined the musical kindergarden at the age of three, and began playing violin as a five-year-old. Her first teacher of violin was Gèza Szilvay at the Itä-Helsingin Musiikkiopisto.
Linda toured for the first time at the age of eight as The Helsinki Juniorstrings were invited to Usa and Canada. The same year she also starred and played in tv-series introducing the Color Strings Method.
In 1987 Linda began studies at the SIBELIUS ACADEMY's youth department under Ari Angervo. Three years later she continued to the Academy, then guided by Nachum Erlich and Päivyt Rajamäki.
Between 1978-93 Linda toured as a member and concertmaster for various orchestras in Japan, Scandinavia, Great-Britain and several other European countri
es. Between 1994-96 she played in the National Opera's orchestra. As a soloist she has performed with Sinfoniettas of Pori and Stockholm, the City Orchestras of Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Hyvinkää and Kotka and also the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
She did her appearance in Finnish politics in 1996 as she was elected to the Helsinki citycouncil. A couple of years later she was titled as the Tourism Ambassador of Finland in Sweden.
Linda has had lots of tv-performances as a musician but also as an actress. She has performed in various enterntainmentshows and visited several talk shows in nearly every European country, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and US. The most noted acts were on American tv-series Baywatch and Fame L.A. She visited these world-wide shows while living in Los Angeles in 1997-98. While her stay in US she also decided to pose for the world's No1 magazine for men, the Playboy. Linda was the cover-girl of PLAYBOY's "MUSIC & SEX" –issue in APRIL 1998.
Linda also posed as the model and face in Björn Borg's swimsuit campaign in Sweden and Finland.
Not only has she entertained the large audience, though. Linda has performed for the president Martti Ahtisaari and the princess Victoria of Sweden. She also has played in Monte Carlo for Rainier and prince Albert.
In 1997 she was invited by LORD ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER to perform in his "Metal Philharmonic" at the SYDMONTON FESTIVAL.
Pop-cd "Linda Lampenius" was released in Finland in 1997. EMI Classics' "Linda Brava" was released world-wide in October 1999. Between 1997-2000 Linda was a frequent friend of cider-lovers as she released her own brand of Finnish cider. The drink sold millions of litres.
MUSIC:
I was raised in a home where music and theatre has always been a way of living. At the age of THREE, when I was put in a music kindergarten, I started performing and singing with my parents at different events and parties. I started playing the violin when I was five and lost my heart to the instrument right away.
Regardless of the endless hours of practising and giving up a "normal" childhood, I can't say that I'd regret a single moment. Music has taken me around the world and it has abled me to experience many different countries and their cultures.
I'm happy and very grateful that I've had the privilege to experience the richness of harmonies and colours and the joy of creating music together, when playing in different orchestras (The Helsinki Juniorstrings, Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra, The National Opera Orchestra) since the age of eight.
Classical music is my love and gives me shivers, but I also enjoy playing and performing pop-music very much.
I experienced one of the happiest moments in my career, when playing the first notes with pianist John Lenehan at the recording of the classical album.
Then I realized that my dream had come true. It was such a privilege to record for EMI Classics, the same label that has Yehudi Menuhin, Placido Domingo, Monserrat Caballe, Maria Callas, Simon Rattle etc on their recordings.
It was such a great pleasure to work with the production team and John Lenehan, who is a fantastic pianist, artist and person.
Naturally I had chosen Sibelius, as I am Finnish and love his production. Grieg, c-minor Sonata, I think has been underestimated too often.
The slow movement is one of the most beautiful slow movements ever written. As a "tribute" to England, since I recorded there, I played Elgar's lovely tune "Salut d'Amour".
I promoted the "Linda Brava" album in England, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines. Amongst nice reviews that the album got, especially Gramophone's warmed my heart.
I had only played classical music, when at interview on a TV show in Finland 1996 I was asked about interest in playing pop music on my violin. Two months later I had signed a record deal with Audio Vox in Finland.
Three Finnish writers were asked to compose material and a month later I was already performing my first single "Violator", which tells about a strong, independent and sexy woman.
When the CD, "Linda Lampenius" was released in April 1997, my career had already taken me to Los Angeles. In USA I mostly played classical music, my pop gigs took place in Stockholm, Monaco, and in Finland when I went back to promote my cider, "Linda Cider".
I used Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian dancers in my shows and while on the catwalk, modelling for Björn Borg, I played material from the album.
Summer 1997 I had the great honour to play as soloist in LORD ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER's "METAL PHILHARMONIC" at SYDMONTON FESTIVAL. It was an unforgettable, fantastic experience.
I performed material from "Linda Lampenius" while promoting Playboy in Los Angeles and New York, at tennis tournament in London (Royal Albert Hall) and in Baywatch.
During 1998,when I recorded the classical album "Linda Brava" and promoted it, I also spent a few unforgettable weeks in studios in England, playing , studying and recording with guitarist Dave Gregory (who taught me a lot about using the Wah-Wah pedal), songwriter and drummer Chris Blackwell, base player Charlie Jones and legendary producer Craig Leon.
Now I've lived in Sweden for the last 4 years.
Came out with my biography 3 years ago in Finland.
Got the lead in a show/musical in Stockholm 2002.
Released an album with Nordic folk-melodies, "Nordic Light", 2005 in Sweden.
Right now working on my new album in NY
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