Epitaph in One Month

In exactly one month time on the 6th of March my piece "Epitaph" will get it's world premiere by pianist Ville Hautakangas at the Tampere Hall together with new pieces by Matilda Seppälä, Ilari Laakso and Tuomas Turriago. The concert is part of the event "In Focus Kaija Saariaho". Epitaph is composed in memory of composer Jouni Kaipainen, who was an friend of all of us six named above. Jouni was composer in residence at the Tampere Philharmonic, taught composition at Tampere University of Applied Sciences and played an enormous role in the Finnish cultural life. The concert pre-talk at 6 PM and the concert at 7 PM has no entry fee. Friends in Tampere, welcome!

Ville Hautakangas, Cecilia Damström, Ilari Laakso, Matilda Seppälä and Tuomas Turriago.

Talking about "Note" in Radio Vega

Last week's Friday I talked with Kike Bertell and Eva Kela about the etymology of the word "note" and random thoughts around that word in the radio channel Vega (a Swedish speaking channel) in the Finnish Radio. It was aired on yesterday (on Sunday) and is available until the 27th of February. Have a listen (in Swedish) under this link.  And have a great week everyone! 

Eva Kela, Kike Bertell and me at Radio Vega in the program "Ordet läcker"

Piano Quintet Minna coming to Tampere

Was mentioned (at the very end) in this Sunday article by Helsingin Sanomat! My first Piano Quintet "Minna - Pictures from the Life of Minna Canth" will be performed by TampereRaw on March 24th in the Tampere Hall and will be broadcast by the Finnish Broadcasting Company! The concert also contains the work Hele by Lotta Wennäkoski and Naisen muotokuva by Minna Leinonen. Very much looking forward to the concert! And for Finnish speakers; here is a good chance to test which work by Minna Canth you could read in the meanwhile! Welcome!

Minna Canth, Minna Leinonen, me, Lotta Wennäkoski and conductor Maria Itkonen

Opera Rehearsals Have Begun

Rehearsals for my children opera "Djurens planet" have begun a week ago! Absolutely love the wonderful cast, the musicians, the director Martina Roos, the stage designer Anna Kontek, the children's choir, the story by Monica Vikström-Jokela, basically EVERYTHING about this project! All music by yours truly. (In this pic posing in the National Opera for Svenska Folkskolans Vänner's magazine.) 

The premiere 15.3.19 is already sold out so be sure to book your tickets asap for one of the two remaining shows on Saturday the 16th of March at the National Opera! 

Photo by Anna Kujala for @svenskafolkskolansvanner Magazine 

Thank You 2018!

2018 was an amazing year! It started well off with the prize for best children opera of the year followed by a commission by the Finnish National Opera, three orchestral premieres, having music performed in about 30 concerts and winning the award for young composer of the year in Sweden. Being selected by Hufvudstadsbladet to their list "40 under 40 who have already made a huge impact on our society" was quite an fun and extraordinary way to end the year 2018!

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2019 filled with love and joy!

Proud of my Friends

Very happy and proud of my composer friends Jonne Valtonen and Roger Wanamo who this year both won the Pirkanmaa Cultural Prize for their lifework in orchestrating game music for symphony orchestras around the world (LSO, Tokyo Phil, Stockholm Phil etc)! And now they have also been invited by the president to his Independence Day Celebration in the Presidential Palace!

Roger Wanamo and Jonne Valtonen at the President's Independence Day Celebration 2018

Finland became independent 100 years ago and has grown from a poor country to one of the richest in the world, so we are quite proud and thankful of our independence and celebrate it in a respectful way. Every year the president of Finland organises a Independence Day Celebration in the Presidential Palace, where he invites the people he has met during the past year. Politicians and sports people are often invited but sadly cultural people and musicians are seen more and more rarely. The president shakes hands with every one of the around 2000 guests which are invited, and the official part of the party is broadcast on national TV and is the most watched program of the year! So to be one among the invited is a very big honour!

Very proud of my two friends, who were invited! And I think it’s quite ironic that the independent composition program at Tampere University was put down, officially due to that people didn’t get “employed” after graduating (but mainly due to money being cut in educational sectors), but people who have studied in Tampere have done better career wise and become more known in the world than maybe any other students in the whole Tampere University of Applied Sciences! I already mentioned Jonne’s and Roger’s enormous successes and also composers such as Paavo Korpijaakko have been commissioned by the Finnish RSO and Tampere Phil, composer Minna Leinonen is now doing her doctorate in composition (after studying in Tampere) and is making her living as a freelance composer, Jouni Bäckström has in addition to singing also composed a lot of new music and I’m also quite proud about having been commissioned by the Finnish National Opera before turning 30 and having signed with a publisher before having officially graduated from my masters.

Commission by the Finnish National Opera

Very happy to finally share with all of you: the Finnish National Opera has commissioned me to compose their next children opera "Djurens planet" to the libretto of Monica Vikström-Jokela! Premiere on March 15th 2019 and going on tour around Finland autumn 2019! Performed by five professional musicians (three singers, a keyboardist and a electric guitarist) and a children choir! Very honoured, happy and excited about this project! Read more about it on the National Operas website and in Hufvudstadsbladet!

Music: Cecilia Damström

Libretto and original story: Monica Vikström-Jokela

Director: Martina Roos

Costume design: Anna Kontek

Lights: Vesa Pohjolainen

Choir conductor: Anna Schultz

Cast:

Joy, mezzo soprano: Elli Vallinoja / Katariina Heikkilä

Jack, soprano: Hedvig Paulig / Saara Kiiveri

Tin, Dragon, Businessman, baritone: Tiitus Ylipää / Riku Pelo

Children choir: Åshöjdens musikklasser årskurser 3-6

Photo by Marthe Veian