Harri Lidsle (b. 1969) is one of the most successful tuba artists in Europe; he performs regularly both as soloist with major orchestras and in solo recitals. He is a pioneer in the field of contemporary tuba music who has won eager new friends for his instrument through his unusual and exciting performances. By constantly commissioning new concertos and solo works from composers of our time, Lidsle has significantly enchanced and developed the tuba repertory. In 1997 Lieksa Brass Week chose him as "Finnish Brass Player of the Year". In addition to his solo work Lidsle serves as principal tubist for Sinfonia Lahti.

Among Harri Lidsle's teachers are such names as Michael Lind and Roger Bobo. Already as a student Lidsle began performing as soloist in concerts with, for instance, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Kokkola Orchestra. Afterwards he has performed with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Armenian Philharmonic, the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, and several times with Sinfonia Lahti. Lidsle's world premiere performance of Alexander Arutunian's tuba concerto in connection with the Conference of European Symphony Orchestras in Lahti in 1995 received international acclaim; he has recorded the work with the Oulu Symphony Orchestra. Lidsle's performance on the ZDF television channel's "Achtung! Klassik" music program in 1996 awakened great interest in Germany.

Composers Harri Ahmas, Markus Fagerudd, Patrik Vidjeskog, and Harri Wessman have composed works with symphonic accompaniment for Harri Lidsle. The great Finnish Symphonist Kalevi Aho, composer-in-residence for Sinfonia Lahti, is preparing a concerto for Lidsle to perform in 2001. Jan Sandström, who has become famous for the "Motorbike concerto" and "Don Quixotte" he wrote for world renowned trombonist Christian Lindberg, is composing a concerto for Lidsle to be premiered in the year 2000. Also Icelandic composer Áskell Másson is currently working on a concerto for Lidsle.

Solo or chamber works for Lidsle have been composed by Vartan Ajemian, Atso Almila, Teppo Hauta-aho, Paavo Heininen, Juhani Komulainen, Harri Saarinen, Jarmo Sermilä, Riikka Talvitie, Kari Tamper, Edward Vesala, Harri Vuori and Harri Wessman.

In the near future we will also receive works from Lars Ekström, Kimmo Leppälä, Pehr Henrik Nordgren, Seppo Paakkunainen and Mist Thorkelsdóttir.

Harri coordinates the preparations for ITEC 2001 International Tuba & Euphonium Conference.