Uusinta’s musical catalogue to Fennica

The catalogue of Uusinta Music Publishing was transferred to Fennica Gehrman at the beginning of 2026. Uusinta has been an important publisher of contemporary music, with a diverse catalogue featuring numerous Finnish composers. Here, Lauri Toivio discusses the development of the company over its 25-year history.

The story of Uusinta began in the summer of 2000. Following the debut of the Uusinta Chamber Ensemble a year earlier, a group of composers and musicians gathered at the Sibelius Academy to sign the founding documents of a new publishing company. The idea was sparked by composer Osmo Tapio Räihälä, while violist-composer Max Savikangas coined the name Uusinta, meaning both “replay” and “newest”.

Early Stages

In the early stages, Räihälä and composer Kristian Rusila took charge of administration and finances. I stepped in as graphic designer and publishing editor, and later also became CEO and manager of the ensemble. Designing the logo was the first task; next came the score covers. The visual identity was built around a single adaptable colour concept: green for pedagogical works, blue for chamber music, and a more individual palette for solo works. Over the years, this look has been interpreted as retro, futuristic – even psychedelic.

Uusinta’s first publication, Markus Fagerudd’s Iigo-Iigo (Tuba Concerto with piano reduction), appeared in autumn 2000. A year later, the piece was selected as the compulsory work for the final round of the Lieksa Brass Week international tuba competition. Fifty-eight competitors ordered the score, giving the company’s sheet-music sales a swift start.

Savikangas’ solo viola work Extraterrestrial (“ET”) followed soon after, composed for the preliminary round of the 2001 Nordic Viola Competition. ET’s ten pages were printed on long, 2.44-metre sheets, which the composer folded himself into accordion-style booklets to fit inside the covers.

The production of sheet music soon began to run smoothly, and by the end of 2005, the number of publications had exceeded fifty. Notable milestones included Lasse Eerola’s extensive and popular pedagogical works, as well as numerous scores by composers Sebastian Fagerlund, Lotta Wennäkoski, and Osmo Tapio Räihälä.

Examples from Wennäkoski’s output include the chamber works Veno, Sinne, Kuule II and Ilmakehästä (From Atmosphere), while Fagerlund was represented by Imaginary Landscapes and Emanations. A total of sixteen works by Räihälä were published.

Recordings were produced as well: Uusinta’s debut album At the Edge of Time and profile discs featuring Räihälä and Savikangas. For more than a decade, the ensemble served as the publishing house’s “house band” before its operations were separated from publishing.

Growing Catalogue

To mark its tenth anniversary, the company released its 100th score and its first anthology, Pianokimara 2010 (Piano Blend), featuring pedagogical pieces by twelve Finnish contemporary composers. Its successor, Piano Blend 2013, offered more advanced repertoire. CDs were also included, featuring pianist Jasmin Fors performing the pieces. One of Uusinta’s last publications was Viulukimara 2024 (Violin Blend), a pedagogical duet collection written by eight composers.

Over 25 years, the catalogue grew to nearly 200 titles. While most works represent Finnish contemporary music from the past 30 years, historical pieces also found their place – from Bach arrangements to works by Ernest Pingoud, Sulho Ranta, and Lauri Ikonen.

From the beginning, quality rather than quantity was the guiding ethos: scores were edited with care and critical attention. International visibility was fostered through participation at the Frankfurt Music Fair for ten years.

In its final decade, the company collaborated with internationally acclaimed composer Outi Tarkiainen and the multitalented Ralf Gothóni, whose chamber arrangements of Hugo Wolf’s Italian Songbook and Schumann’s Dichterliebe were among the company’s most substantial projects.

After a quarter-century of dedicated work, the time was ripe to pass the baton to Fennica Gehrman’s expert hands. Uusinta’s contribution to Finland’s contemporary music landscape has now found a happy new home.

Lauri Toivio