Mäenpää, Roope

(*1990)

Roope Mäenpää (s. 1990) is a Finnish composer and musician based in Tampere. He has studied composition at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences where his teachers were Jouni Kaipainen, Hannu Pohjannoro and Paavo Korpijaakko, among others. Mäenpää teaches composing and composition pedagogy at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences and elsewhere, and he has also acted as conductor and choral conductor.

Mäenpää’s oeuvre includes orchestral and chamber music, and his works have been performed by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Tampere Philharmonic and the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked in close collaboration with the TamperRaw contemporary music ensemble.

Among his orchestral works are Jamais vu (2020) commissioned by the Finnish RSO and the Kantele Concerto Käsiin (2020) premiered by the Tampere Philharmonic. Two exciting works are Kumollisuus (2019) and Luovus (2022), which pair yoik singing with chamber orchestra. Both pieces were premiered by the Lapland Chamber Orchestra and mi yoik singer Niillas Holmberg who has collaborated with Mäenpää also previously. Luovus reflects the broad landscapes of Lapland and includes strong, primitive beats.

Roope Mäenpää has composed two musical fairytales for narrator and orchestra: Hipinäaasi apinahiisi (2019-20) and the Insect Symphony (2021), which he conducted in 2022 at the concert by the Tampere Philharmonic. The symphony is a valuable addition to children’s culture and an exciting work which sets out to explore nature through the miraculous world of little organisms.

Roope Mäenpää has studied the cello which has enabled him to establish a close and reflective relationship with string instruments. His work list also includes three string quartets.

Hipinäaasi apinahiisi

Musiikkisatu (2019-20)

for narrator and orchestra

2(II+picc)2(II=ca)2(II+bcl)1-2201-02-str Percussion: Snare drum (with brushes & sticks), 3 Tom-toms, Suspended cymbal (with metal stick & chain), Tamtam, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Vibraphone (with bow), Triangle, 3 Wood blocks, Sleigh bells, Chimes, 2 Plastic tubes Teksti (FIN): Ville Hytönen

Duration: 30

Hyönteissinfonia

(2021)

for narrator and orchestra

2(II+picc&afl)2(II+ca)2(II+bcl)1-2201-02-str

Duration: 30

Jamais vu (Full version)

(2020)

for orchestra

2(II+picc)2(II+ca)2(II+bcl)2-4330-12-hp-pf-str Percussion: Snare drum, 3 Tom-toms, Rototom, Gran cassa, Suspended cymbal, Tamtam (large), Thai gong (large, without exact pitch), Crotales (also with 2 bows), Glockenspiel, Marimba, Vibraphone (also with 2 bows), 4 Triangles

Duration: 10

Jamais vu (Reduced version)

(2020/21)

for orchestra

12(II+ca)2(II+bcl)0-2220-12-pf-str Percussion: Snare drum, 3 Tom-toms, Rototom, Gran cassa, Suspended cymbal, Tamtam (large), Thai gong (large, without exact pitch), Crotales (also with 2 bows), Glockenspiel, Marimba, Vibraphone (also with 2 bows), 4 Triangles

Duration: 10

Kumollisuus (Version for live yoik)

(2019)

for chamber orchestra and live yoik

1110-0100-01-pf-str Percussion: Bass drum, Tamtam (also with metal stick) Also available: Version for yoik on tape Version for solo instrument

Duration: 5

Luovus

Symphony for yoik and chamber orchestra (2022)

1(+afl)1(+ca)1(+bcl)1-1000-02-pf(+cel)-str Percussion I: Glockenspiel, Bass Drum, Vibraphone, Roto-toms (5), Sandpaper Blocks, Suspended Cymbal Percussion II: Crotales, Gong (large), Suspended Cymbal, Sandpaper Blocks, Tom-toms (medium and low)

Duration: 30