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FINLANDIA FOUNDATION HONORS BOSTON BALLET ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MIKKO NISSINEN
Nissinen Receives Foundation’s 2008 Annual Arts & Letters Award
Boston, MA — February 21, 2008 — Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director of Boston Ballet, has been named the recipient of the 2008 Finlandia Foundation Arts & Letters Award. Nissinen has a distinguished career as a dancer, dance educator and popular presenter at conferences. He will receive the award in New York on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at the Finlandia Foundation’s annual black tie awards dinner dance.
Since 1958, the Finlandia Foundation New York Chapter has given an annual award to an individual or organization having made major contributions to Finnish culture in the United States. These awards are presented at the Awards Dinner Dance, proceeds from which go to the New York Chapter Scholarship and Cultural Funds. To date, over $250,000 in scholarships have been granted.
“I am very humbled by this recognition from the Finlandia Foundation,” said Nissinen. “My first accomplishments in ballet took place in Finland, and this award means a great deal to me. It is my hope that Finland continues to cultivate the artistic talents of the country and that Finnish citizens continue to make valuable contributions to the arts on an international scale. ”
Nissinen is recognized internationally as an accomplished dancer, teacher and artistic director. He assumed the position of artistic director of Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet School in September 2001. He has defined the Company’s image with classical and neo-classical works, ranging from full-length ballets and masterpieces to new works and world premieres by some of the finest contemporary choreographers.
Born in Helsinki, Finland, Nissinen began his dance training at age ten with The Finnish National Ballet School, and launched his dance career at age 15. In 1978, he won First Prize at The National Ballet Competition in Kuopio, Finland. The following year he continued his studies at The Kirov Ballet School. Nissinen went on to dance with Dutch National Ballet, Basel Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, where he held the position of principal dancer for ten years, until he retired from the stage in 1996. During Nissinen's performance career his vast repertoire ranged from classical to contemporary works. As a guest artist, he danced at numerous international galas and with many different companies and partners.
Nissinen was appointed Artistic Director of the Marin Ballet in San Rafael, California in 1996. Two years later he was appointed Artistic Director of Alberta Ballet, in Calgary, Canada. Under Nissinen’s leadership, Alberta Ballet’s global visibility, national stature, performance schedule and touring and were increased.
Nissinen is the recipient of the United Nations 2007 Leadership Award.
Previous Finlandia Foundation Arts & Letters awardees include the late Senator J. William Fulbright, conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, soprano Karita Mattila, former New York Times journalist and author Werner Wiskari, composer Charles Wuorinen and Sibelius Academy.
The Finlandia Foundation New York Metropolitan Chapter, Inc. 2008 annual awards dinner dance to benefit cultural and grant funds will be held on Saturday, March 1 at The Union League Club in New York. For more information, call (914) 645-7542.
About Finlandia Foundation
The original organization was founded in 1953 and is known today as Finlandia National with headquarters in Pasadena, California. It is considered the parent organization of subsequently formed local chapters, of which there are twenty-three in states across the country. California, Oregon, and Washington can each claim to have three separate local chapters. The New York City Metropolitan Chapter was founded April 12, 1954 by a group of four activists, Reino Aarnio, Dr. Raymond K. Luomanen, Jean Pellinen, and Britta Simpson.
About Boston Ballet
Founded in 1963, Boston Ballet is one of the leading dance companies in North America. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Valerie Wilder, the Company has 50 dancers and maintains an internationally acclaimed repertoire of classical, neo-classical and contemporary works, ranging from full-length story ballets to new works by some of today’s finest choreographers.
Boston Ballet’s second company, Boston Ballet II, is made up of nine pre-professional dancers who gain experience by performing with Boston Ballet and as an independent group, presenting lecture-demonstrations and unique programs to audiences throughout the Northeast. The Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education reaches and instructs more than 3,000 students of all ages each year through Boston Ballet School, Young Dancers Summer Workshop, Summer Dance Program, DanceLab, Citydance, Adaptive Dance and Taking Steps.
Boston Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following institutional partners:
State Street Corporation, 2007 Sponsor, The Nutcracker
Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation/Linda S. Waintrup, Trustee
Massachusetts Cultural Council
National Endowment for the Arts
Boston Organ & Piano, Official Piano Supplier of Boston Ballet
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