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Audite tours with Markku Klami’s into the deep peace Feb 5, 2023 In the spring of 2023, Audite chamber choir tours with their 30th anniversary tour Voices of Earth, featuring Markku Klami’s into the deep peace (2021), set to the texts by John Muir. In the spring of 2023, Audite chamber choir tours with their 30th anniversary tour Voices of Earth , featuring Markku Klami’s into the deep peace (2021), set to the texts by John Muir . Commissioned by and dedicated to Audite and their conductor Jani Sivén , into the deep peace received its world premiere on Audite’s Voices of Earth tour on November 12, 2022 in Turku. The following performances will be given on February 10, 2023 in Tampere, February 11 in Jyväskylä, March 10 & 11 and April 6, 2023 in Helsinki. The concert in Helsinki on March 10, 2023 will be recorded and broadcasted by the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Klami’s work deals with trees and forests and the eternal landscapes they create. The text of the work is adapted by the composer from John Muir's travel memoir My First Summer in the Sierra, published in 1911. The text describes the Sierra mountain range in California, where the ancient temples of giant trees exude a peace and timelessness that is hard to find in our fast-paced everyday life and our modern society. Klami's work is a tribute to the deafening beauty and greatness of nature, next to which man is quite small, even insignificant and unnecessary. The work indirectly takes a stand on the effects of human activity on the nature of our earth - not by declaring, however, but by reminding of the beauty and importance of nature to people. The independent compositions of the Voices of Earth concert form a narrative entity that comments on the consequences of the climate crisis, the importance of biodiversity and man's changing relationship with nature. Conversational and current topics are included both in the melodies and in the texts selected for the works. The well-respected composers in the field of choral music and behind the works heard in Voices of Earth concert are Alex Freeman, Anna Huuskonen, Markku Klami, Finn Shields and Matthew Whittall. They also sing in the ranks of Audite chamber choir and thus know the instrument inside-out. In addition, the concert will feature a commissioned work composed by Jani Sivén , who conducts the choir. Visual and light design in the concert is by light artist and designer Ainu Palmu . Maria Ohisalo , Finland’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, acts as the patron of Audite's jubilee year. The anniversary year has been supported by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Fund, the Uusimaa regional fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Tickets to the Voices of Earth tour are available via Lippu.fi See also Audite chamber choir Alex Freeman Anna Huuskonen Finn Shields Jani Sivén Matthew Whittall Maria Ohisalo < Back to News

Patrik Kleemola to premiere Markku Klami's Etudes for guitar Nov 3, 2020 Four etudes, titled ”Memoria”, ”Agitato nervosamente”, ”Nocturno” and ”Stream” from Markku Klami’s upcoming Etudes for guitar collection will get their world premiere by Finnish guitarist Patrik Kleemola in his recital on November 11, 2020 at the Sibelius museum in Turku, Finland. Four etudes, titled ”2. Memoria (Remembrance)” , ”4. Agitato nervosamente” , ”5. Nocturno. Väre (Ripple)” and ” 6. Puro (Stream ) ” from Markku Klami’s upcoming Etudes for guitar collection will get their world premiere by Finnish guitarist Patrik Kleemola in his recital on November 11, 2020 at the Sibelius museum in Turku, Finland. Patrik Kleemola playing "Stream" from Etudes for guitar in a sound check for the premiere performance on November 11, 2020. Patrik Kleemola is one of the foremost Finnish classical guitarists. After winning the 2nd Guitaristival Takemitsu International Guitar Competition in Finland 2004 and gaining prizes in other competitions such as Gargnano's International Guitar Competition, his concert career has taken him to London, Buenos Aires, Rome, Dublin, Milan, Athens, Turin, Florence, Tallinn, Oberstdorf, Helsinki and other cities in South America and Europe. He has appeared as soloist on important music festivals such as Bergamo Festival Internazionale della Cultura (Italy), LACCS – concert series at London's Queen Elisabeth Hall, Turku Music Festival (Finland), Tallinn Guitar Festival (Estonia), Nuovi Spazi Musicali (Italy), Festival 5 Giornate (Italy), Limina Festival (Argentina), Feria del Libro (Uruguay), Lidköping Music Festival (Sweden) and Tampere Biennale Finland). Kleemola has performed guitar concertos by Rodrigo, Ponce, Takemitsu, Giuliani, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Vivaldi and Maggio with Orquesta Sinfonica de la Juventud Venezuelana El Sistema, Orchestra I Pomeriggi Musicali, San Remo Symphony Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Lecce Symphony Orchestra. Kleemola plays regularly chamber music with various international ensembles and soloists. Kleemola's wide repertoire includes music from the early Italian 16th century to the newest contemporary compositions written for him. Kleemola's intense collaboration with composers has led to over 50 premieres of contemporary works for guitar including concertos, chamber music and solo works. Composers like Ada Gentile, Mikko Heiniö, Markku Klami, Juha T. Koskinen, Paola Livorsi, Marcela Pavia, Harri Suilamo and Harri Vuori have composed and dedicated their works to him. Kleemola has released two CDs by Pilfink records: Perchitarrasola (2012) and Through Green Glass (2015). The CDs consist of music written for Kleemola by Finnish and Italian composers. Other CD recordings include Kleemola's arrangement of Franz Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin for guitar and tenor. Kleemola's ever growing content on his personal Youtube channel is gaining a lot of following, and soon it will pass the landmark of a million views. In addition to his performing career, Kleemola is Lecturer in Guitar at Turku Conservatory & Music Institute. Kleemola gives regularly masterclasses during concert tours and recently he has given those in London, Buenos Aires, Milan and elsewhere in Italy, Estonia and Finland. Kleemola was the artistic director of the Brinkhall Summer Concerts during 2009-2011 in Turku, Finland. Kleemola is the founder and artistic director of Turku Guitar Festival. Markku Klami: Etudes for guitar: 4. Agitato nervosamente (excerpt) Klami’s Etudes is a collection of solo guitar pieces, each concentrating on a specific guitar playing technique. While targeted for younger and advanced young players, these etudes are intended and suitable for concert use by professional guitarists alike. Patrik Kleemola performs Etudes cycle on his YouTube channel In his Etudes , Klami makes use of some extended playing techniques, including playing the strings by hitting them with the left hand – and, at times, even both hands, techniques resulting in microtones, like plucking the strings on both sides of the hand on the fretboard, and partially muting the strings in various ways. These extended playing techniques are intended to provide also younger players with glimpses of the intriguing world of contemporary music. Markku Klami: Etudes for guitar: 5. Nocturno. Väre (Ripple) (excerpt) The idea to write new, contemporary music pieces that would not be technically too demanding for young and advanced younger players, while maintaining a high aesthetic value of a contemporary concert music was proposed to Klami by Kleemola. A close cooperation between Klami and Kleemola and study on the technical and aesthetic aspects of each etude has been taking place since late 2019. Klami has composed Etudes with the support by Arts Promition Centre Finland and the Finnish Cultural Foundation . Markku Klami: Etudes for guitar: 6. Puro (Stream) (excerpt) The Etudes are written for Patrik Kleemola. He will premiere the collection in whole in 2021. Stay tuned for more information about this project, which will be fully released in 2021, including a video release of each etude on Kleemola’s YouTube channel . Sheet music for Etudes is available via Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Wise Music Classical) < Back to News

FMQ publishes Markku Klami's column on the significance of arts and culture for humanity Mar 30, 2025 In this deeply personal column, Markku Klami reflects on how music became his survival strategy, why composing remains his greatest calling, and how culture can give us a reason to live. On my music and beyond: Composing as a means of survival In this deeply personal column, Markku Klami reflects on how music became his survival strategy, why composing remains his greatest calling, and how culture can give us a reason to live. “Art fosters hope, opens up new perspectives and brings us together”, writes Klami. Read the whole column on Finnish Music Quarterly's (FMQ) website. FMQ started as a printed magazine (the Finnish Music Quarterly) in 1985, addressing all aspects of the Finnish music scene. Since 2005, it has also been serving its readers online. Today, FMQ publishes new items – articles, columns and reviews – on its website on a regular basis. A special issue addressing a specific topic through several articles is released four times a year. The articles in FMQ are written by experts on music both Finnish and foreign. In the course of its history, FMQ has also produced special issues in German, French, Swedish and Japanese. Since 2023, FMQ has appeared exclusively in a digital format. From 2017 to 2022, a printed edition featuring a compendium of the year's online articles was released annually in December. FMQ is published by Music Finland . Its partners are the Sibelius Academy , the Society of Finnish Composers and the Finnish Musicians’ Union . The publication is also supported by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, as well as by Kopiosto copying remunerations (from the share of the Society of Finnish Composers). Additionally, publication in 2025 is supported by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation. < Back to News