Premieres and contemporary classics with Piia Komsi, Tampere Philharmonic and Olari Elts

Piia Komsi and the Tampere Philharmonic, conducted by Olari Elts, in rehearsal for Unsuk Chin's Puzzles and Games from Alice in Wonderland (2017) at the Tampere Hall on Friday. © Maarit Kytöharju Heard in conjunction with Tampere Biennale on Friday, the evening concert by the Tampere Philharmonic, guest conducted by Olari Elts and featuring soprano...

Powerhouse world premiere for Magnus Lindberg’s Viola Concerto from Lawrence Power, the FRSO and Nicholas Collon

Magnus Lindberg in rehearsal with Lawrence Power, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas Collon at the Helsinki Music Centre on Wednesday. © Jari Kallio Wednesday evening saw the eagerly-awaited world premiere of Magnus Lindberg’s brilliant Viola Concerto (2023-24) at the Helsinki Music Centre, performed with utmost musicianship and dedicated craft by violist Lawrence Power...

Recording the unrecorded – notable takes on Leiviskä, Hannikainen and Damström

Within the expansive realm of recorded music, the best albums come off as sounding discoveries. In order to make this happen, several parameters must be aligned – repertoire, performance and post-production being the obvious core markers. However, to boldly go beyond mere container of assorted takes calls forth musical narrative proper. All these things come...

Extinctions and new beginnings – inspiriting Cecilia Damström world premiere from FRSO and Chloé Dufresne

Finnish composer Cecilia Damström © Ville Juurikkala At the Helsinki Music Center, Friday evening marked the world premiere of Cecilia Damström’s formidable orchestral monolith Extinctions, op. 86  (2023), performed with inspiriting dedication by the Finnish Radio Symphony orchestra under their marvelous guest conductor Chloé Dufresne. Scored for full symphonic line-up of triple winds, including piccolo,...