Kalevi Aho, one of Finland’s most celebrated contemporary composers, turned 75 on 9 March , and there will be numerous concerts to mark the event during 2024. The Saimaa Sinfonietta commissioned him to write his 18th symphony, premiered in Mikkeli on 8 February. The Oulu Symphony Orchestra under Jessica Cottis premiered Aho’s Double Concerto with Christel Lee (violin) and Jonathan Roozeman (cello) as…
Lotta Wennäkoski is the profile composer at the 2024 Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival alongside Sebastian Fagerlund. The programme will include many works by her, including the premiere of Sic for two violins by Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen on 24. July. The Katrina Kammarmusik festival in the island province of Åland has likewise chosen Wennäkoski as its house composer. One of the…
Matthew Whittall has two big orchestral commissions in the pipeline in 2024. One of them, from the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle), is Joy – Symphony for Orchestra and Organ. It was premiered by the Finnish RSO at the Helsinki Music Centre on 22 May 2024. The soloist in this concert conducted by Nicholas Collon was…
The Frankfurt Chamber Opera is staging the German premiere of Sanatorio Express (Pikaparantola) by the internationally renowned Finnish composer and jazz pianist Iiro Rantala on 13–31 July. The libretto, by Minna Lindgren, has been translated into German. The opera (premiered by the Finnish National Opera in 2018) transports the audience to a bizarre sanatorium where a healing charlatan conducts his business…
Lara Poe‘s music is rapidly gaining ground. Her Laulut maaseudulta (Songs from the Countryside) for voice and orchestra is to be premiered on 25 August at the 2024 London Proms by the orchestras of the Sibelius Academy and the Royal College of Music conducted by Sakari Oramo. The soprano soloist is Anu Komsi. After the Proms, the work…
