Permafrost World Premiere

Last week was the busiest week of my 2024 so far, including a performance of “Fretus” with Hyvinkää Orchestra, travelling to Kokkola and back, giving two lectures and being part of one panel discussion about equality in music, one press conference, the world premiere of my accordion concerto “Permafrost” and participating as a nominee in the Emma Gala (equivalent to “The Grammys” in Finland) for the first time! Quite a week!

It has been such a pleasure to bring “Permafrost” to this world! I got to work together with virtuoso accordionist Sonja Vertainen already in the compositional phase, I got to work with the amazing video artist Irene Suosalo in the past two month and last week got to work with the wonderful Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra and Jan Söderblom leading up to a superb premiere, which can be heard online on demand on Yle Areena until the 17th of March! It was wonderful to share such a large part of the journey with Sonja and Irene, finding people with whom you work easely closely together with, is a rare and valuable gift!

And what a reception and review Permafrost got! Anni Saari wrote in Keskipohjanmaa yesterday:

Top-notch at Kokkola Winter Accordion – “Permafrost” is a Supreme Masterpiece with Sonja Vertainen Shining as Soloist. The composition commissioned from Cecilia Damström by Kokkola Winter Accordion and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra stands out as a remarkable achievement from the composer.

Damström exhibits a remarkable command in handling the orchestra and exploring its sonic capabilities. At times, she seamlessly integrates the accordion into the string section, requiring meticulous focus to discern the origins of the sound. Naturally, the composition also allocates distinct solo segments for the accordion. In the second movement, Damström demonstrates the artistry of how a top-tier composer uses extended playing techniques: a tap of the wood side of the bow on the strings evokes imagery of a drop falling or a bubble bursting. The accordion has serene, heartrendingly beautiful, simple melodies in the tranquil second movement, melodies that one could listen to endlessly. And what an ending Damström presented!

Permafrost stands as a truly exquisite and masterful creation, impeccably crafted with no superfluous elements. Its accessibility is remarkable; making it a true pleasure to listen to. I dare say, it’s a musical gem that is bound to grace many stages in the years to come. The commission by Kokkola Winter Accordion and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra is an unsurpassed success!

The next morning after the premiere I headed straight back to Helsinki to the Emma Gala where Ville Hautakanga’s masterpiece album “12 Premieres” was nominated for the award “Classical Emma of the Year”. Was such a pleasure to be part of the gala and the afterparty! Congratulations to the Classical Emma Winner, the album Reconnaissance – Kaija Saariaho: Choral Music by Helsinki Chamber Choir & Nils Schweckendiek !

This week: time for Linda Suolahti’s Album Release Concert on Saturday at 6pm, including music by Leiviskä, Hannikainen and yours truly! Welcome! And next week my ICE will be performed by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas Collon! Welcome there as well!

Composer Cecilia Damström Photo by Jukka Lehojärvi for Keskipohjanmaa

Extinctions World Premiere

 It’s one week since the premiere of my “Extinctions” and I'm slowly recovering from this overwhelming experience. What a journey it has been! Four years ago, in the beginning of 2020 I received an email from Tuula Sarotie that the new chief conductor Nicholas Collon would like to commission a new work from me, and since then this piece has been growing inside me. I wanted to write a piece in one movement, and building a 22 minute arch was a new and wonderfully challenging experience. In composing it is possible to keep constantly evolving and trying out new things, and this is both the best about my job and at the same thing very nerve wracking, and you never know how it will work out. For instance, 5 days before the premiere I was changing some of the parts, because I had been slightly optimistic about how fast it would be possible to play, but we agreed with the musicians in question on 16-notes per second. The two rehearsals went very well and it was such a pleasure to get to work with both the wonderful Chloé Dufresne as well as the magnificent Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. I am so happy with everything!! This was also the first time a professional orchestra performed my music for a live audience in my hometown, so it was so nice to be able to share this moment with so many friends and family members and all the 1693 audience members in the hall (in addition to everyone who watched online).

Composer Cecilia Damström, Conductor Chloé Dufresne, Pianist Alexander Malofejev 26.1.2024

I was also so happy and honoured by all the wonderful reviews my new piece received!

“Damström has created a fascinating score, full of exciting sounds, captivating colors, and evocative orchestral effects. "Extinctions" represents Damström at her most modernist, simultaneously maintaining a highly expressive approach that is by no means devoid of dramatic pauses or tonal landmarks. The lion's share consists, in fact, of meditatively charged, almost mysteriously vibrating, and quietly probing passages, lending the few discharges all the more effective relief. This is a relatively rare case of imaginative tonal painting in domestic contexts, emphasizing the stark but dramatically resilient rather than the sensually inviting.” wrote Mats Liljeroos, Hufvudstadsbladet 28.1.2024

“Damström's music is like a spontaneously ignited and rich soundscape of life. If her Teosto Award-winning composition "ICE" in 2022 reflects the ethereal soundscape of icebergs, "Extinctions" is characterized by the earth's resonant rumble.

The composition cleverly utilizes different instrumental groups and colors in depicting evolution, from dense strings in the forest to the clarinets' erratic frogs and the Jurassic brass. Pressure waves and dust clouds come to life in the percussion section.

The music is colorful and visual but never merely illustrative. The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra executed the piece excellently under the confident direction of Chloé Dufresne.” wrote Nuppu Koivisto in Helsingin Sanomat 28.1.2024

And Jari Kallio wrote in “Adventures in Music” following: “A gorgeous rendition from the orchestra and Dufresne, Extinctions was given a flying start upon its premiere. Regarding the overall organic form, Damström’s orchestral designs bear some family relationships with those by Anna Thorvaldsdottir – without imitation – whereas her way of leading each instrument their own sonic narratives is something quite unique. Figurative without resorting to mere Mickey Mousing, Damström’s scoring serves as story-teller par excellence, as resoundingly demonstrated by the inspired accounts of the FRSO players. Shaped and balanced with keen attention and organic sensitivity by Dufresne, Extinctions was received with rousing enthusiasm by the sold-out hall.”

Thank You once again to everyone who came and listened! And for anyone who still wants to hear it, you can find the concert including a live interview and the premiere, here:

https://areena.yle.fi/1-67584262

Composer Cecilia Damström and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 26.1.2024