Sibelius Discovery Day in London kicks off Alternative Sibelius event series
Sibelius Discovery Day kicks off a year-long series of events under the title Alternative Sibelius. A collaboration project by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) is supporting Finnish musicians who shall perform together with musicians from the LSO. The programme for Sibelius Discovery Day includes the first public performance of composer-bassist Lauri Porra’s new arrangements of Sibelius’ seldom performed songs.
The programme also features singer Yona and Viola Uotila, a young kantele player from Lahti. The theme of the morning’s panel discussion shall be the importance of Sibelius in Finland today. Panellists include Erkki Korhonen, Director of the Sibelius Birth Town Foundation, and Pekka Huhtaniemi, Ambassador at the Embassy of Finland in London. The media art of Kai Kuntola shall also be displayed at the event.
Altogether eight Alternative Sibelius events shall take place in England and Finland during the course of 2015, each event presenting new perspectives on the works of the legendary Finnish composer. The events in the City of Lahti are part of the 2015 Sibelius Festival in September, which includes the Alternative Sibelius club. The programme also includes something for younger audiences, such as children’s workshops at the Finnish Church in London.
Other concerts during the Alternative Sibelius event series shall feature guitarists Ismo Eskelinen and Markus “Marzi” Nyman, jazz pianists Seppo Kantonen and Kari Ikonen, singers Pia Freund and Mia Simanainen, gambist Mikko Perkola, accordionist Niko Kumpuvaara and the Jani Pensola House Band featuring top musicians from London.
Alternative Sibelius is a Finnish-English project in connection with the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jean Sibelius. The aim of the project is to promote collaboration between Finnish and English artists, as well as to create and develop similar professional networks. The project manager within Taike is musician Jarmo Julkunen, regional artist in Häme, while the artistic coordinator in England is double bassist Jani Pensola of the LSO. In addition to music, the project includes visual art and design as overseen by regional artists Paula Susitaival and Outi Turpeinen.
The events are being produced by the Finnish Church in London and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) in partnership with LSO Discover, the community and music education programme of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), the Embassy of Finland in London, Finn-Guild and ScanAdventures in England, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, the City of Lahti, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lahti Jazz and Folk Music Society and the Metro Jazz Club.
The programme is listed and updated on the website of the Finnish Church in London:
http://www.finnishchurch.org.uk/173-tulevat-tapahtumat
A press conference for the project shall take place on 13 March 2015 at the Embassy of Finland in London.
Further information:
Jarmo Julkunen
Regional Artist
Arts Promotion Centre Finland
Palokunnankatu 4, FI-13200 Hämeenlinna
t. +358 295 330 893
[email protected]
www.taike.fi