Photo: Maarit Kytöharju
What’s up with American contemporary music?
Artistic director André de Ridder has chosen ‘Trans-Atlantic’ as the key theme of the festival. Points of interest include:
Tyondai Braxton as an orchestral composer and electronic musician:
TELEKINESIS performed in Finland at last; Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Music Centre on 8 Feb at 19.00 & a new interpretation of Riley’s In C at Ääniwalli on 9 Feb at 21.00
David Lang’s the little matchgirl passion / Helsinki Chamber Choir & Zagros at the House of Nobility on 2 Feb at 16.30
Music written and performed by Bryce Dessner on electric guitar / e.g. Tapiola Sinfonietta at Tapiola Hall on 7 Feb at 19.00
Missy Mazzoli and other American contemporary voices / Trio Kuusisto–Sirota–Hohti at Balder Hall on 3 Feb at 15.00
Photo: Kristinn Ingvarsson
Theme composer: Anna Thorvaldsdottir
An Icelandic composer with a rising international career, Anna Thorvaldsdottir writes captivating music that explores silence, desolation and the invisible:
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra at the Music Centre on 1 Feb at 19.00 - Metacosmos
Helsinki Chamber Choir & Zagros at the House of Nobility on 2 Feb at 16.30 - Ad Genua
Uusinta Ensemble at Kaapelitehdas on 3 Feb at 18.00 - In The Light of Air
Finnish Baroque Orchestra at the House of Nobility on 5 Feb at 19.00 - Shades of Silence
Flash Flash
Juhani Nuorvala's experimental opera modelling the life of pop artist Andy Warhol receives its long-expected premiere in Black Box at the Music Centre on 9 and 10 Feb at 17.00.
Other Finnish premieres
Matthew Whittall: Resonance Orbits / Crash Ensemble in Paavo Hall at the Music Centre on 2 Feb at 19.00
Minna Leinonen: Sirri / Uusinta Ensemble at Kaapelitehdas on 3 Feb at 18.00
Paavo Korpijaakko: Siivet / Polytech Choir & Aava sax quartet at Temppeliaukio Church on 4 Feb at 18.00
Antti Auvinen: Digital Madrigal / Tapiola Sinfonietta at Tapiola Hall on 7 Feb at 19.00
Photo: Luc Hossepied
Ensemble intercontemporain
An influential contemporary music powerhouse visits Helsinki, performing at the Music Centre on 9 Feb at 19.15.
Other visiting ensembles:
La Chambre aux échos from France brings socially aware music theatre to Almi Hall at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, 6–9 Feb
Ensemble U from Estonia combines virtual reality with a musical experience at Forum Box on 5 Feb at 18.00, 18.30, 21.00, 21.30
Crash Ensemble provides a viewpoint on Irish contemporary music, mirrored against American influences, at Paavo Hall at the Music Centre, 2 Feb at 19.00 and 3 Feb at 20.00; at Bio Rex on 4 Feb at 15.00
See also the article about Jaakko Kuusisto's new opera Jää [Ice] premiered at the Musica nova Helsinki.
Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
