FUME Clarinet and orchestra Composed: 2008 Watch / listen Lauri Sallinen , clarinet, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra , cond. Jani Telaranta Live performance from Ung Nordisk Musik Festival, September 24, 2010 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Clarinet and orchestra: 2(A.fl.).2(E.hn).2(B.cl).2/2.2.0.0./perc./Str. (minimum: 6.6.5.4.2., preferred: 8.6.6.4.3.) Duration: 23 minutes Movements I. ...bursting into... II. ...a serenade... III. ...to one out of reach, Commission / dedications Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen Accolades Selected to the Jury's list of recommended works in the 2nd International Uuno Klami Composition Competition 2009 First performance Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, Avanti! Orchestra, cond. Jani Telaranta, Ung Nordisk Musik: COLLISION! Festival, Concert hall of the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland, September 24, 2010 Reflections Concert review, published on Hufvudstadsbladet by Mats Liljeroos September 26, 2010 Markku Klami’s FUME for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra stood out as a case of its own. The Turku-born composer (b. 1979) clearly possesses more than enough talent, and the piece was crafted with considerable professional skill. A name worth remembering. The same applies to clarinetist Lauri Sallinen , who handled the demanding solo part with effortless technique and a refined tone. Avanti! performed with the attentiveness and the kind of sonic brilliance one has come to associate with the ensemble in this type of repertoire. Composer's Notes FUME was my first concerto work and I wrote it especially for Lauri Sallinen . This marvellous musician (and also a very nice person) was of much help during the writing process of the work. I'm forever grateful for all his comments on my ideas and writings during the composing process. FUME was selected to the Jury's list of recommended works in the tremendously successful 2nd International Uuno Klami Composition Competition in 2009. The premiere was given by Lauri Sallinen and Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jani Telaranta at Ung Nordisk Musik Festival in 2010. FUME is dedicated to Lauri Sallinen. < Back to Music

sight – energy – vague – ocean Orchestra Composed: 2005 Watch / listen The Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra , cond. David Searle Live recording from Sigyn hall of Turku Conservatory of Music, April 21, 2007 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Orchestra: 3(pic).2.3(B.cl).2./4.3.3.1/timp., 2 perc./harp/Str. Duration: 14 minutes Accolades Shared First Prize in the national SävellYS 2006 Composing Competition, organized by the Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra for their 80th anniversary First performance Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra, cond. David Searle, Helsinki University Hall, Helsinki, Finland, April 19, 2007 Reflections Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Atte Tenkanen April 23, 2007 There is a sense of ethos in composer Markku Klami’s approach — a promising sign worth holding onto, even along the sometimes rugged path of a composer’s journey. His orchestral work sight – energy – vague – ocean (2005) is marked by broad, richly textured soundscapes that invite the listener to linger within them. What the piece lacks in kinetic motion, it compensates for in atmosphere. Stylistically, I found the composition somewhat dichotomous: its restrained melodicism and lush harmonies seemed carved from different wood. Nonetheless, the performance was delivered with intensity and left an encouraging impression. Composer's Notes sight – energy – vague – ocean is one of my works that was composed within a short period of time. When I began composing the work, I barely had nothing else than just few thoughts and sketches for the overall form of the work. This is why the work was in a state of constant change as the writing process progressed. However, the state of constant change and renewal is familiar to me as a composing environment anyway, as I am not drawn at all to the extremely rigorous and analytical way of working, no matter how much time I have at hand. As far as the overall form is concerned, I strive to follow the convoluted guideline of the images and visions brought into my mind by the title of the work. The title of the work was already ready when I started composing, which is quite unusual for my own works. Despite the ready title and the imagery it evokes, the work is by no means programmatic in the traditional sense, and thus does not tell any particular story. Nonetheless, narrative character is very important to me in the music and I hope that my music will ultimately tell more of itself through music than my attempt to describe it in words. During the rapid composition process, I allowed the work to grow organically, sprawl freely, taking it to where the work itself naturally seemed to go. Therefore, the end result is a variety of musical moments that change (grow) freely from one situation to another. One will hear static and extremely quiet sound surfaces as well as roaring bursts of energetic masses – and pretty much anything in between. < Back to Music

Clair Clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet Composed: 2017 Watch / listen A snippet from the general rehearsal of Clair at Kaivos Festivaali 2017 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Clarinet, bandoneón and string quarter (with optional dancers) Duration: 17 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by Kaivos Festival with funding from Madetoja Foundation. Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen First performance Lauri Sallinen, clarinet and movement, Henrik Sandås, bandoneón, Nordlyd String Quartet (Aliisa Neige Barrière, violin, Alexandra Peral, violin, Ester Forsberg, viola, Andreas Øhrn, cello), Kaivos Festival, Kiisuteatteri, Outokumpu, Finland, September 9, 2017 Reflections Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Kalle Karjalainen November 21, 2024 Markku Klami’s Clair opened the concert with an extended sonic field, where the clarinet’s long, sustained tones created a lingering and mysterious atmosphere. At times reminiscent of Chico Hamilton’s jazz soundtracks, the piece commanded stillness and presence—inviting the listener inward amid the passing traffic and storm outside. Composer's Notes Clair is part of a series of works built on shared musical material. The first piece in the series, Clair sketches (2012), was written for Lauri Sallinen’s debut recital at the Sibelius Academy. Later, Lauri and the Kaivos Festival commissioned a new work for the same ensemble—clarinet, bandoneón, and string quartet—which I composed using leftover material from the original piece. The next installment in the series is Clair II , composed between 2020 and 2021. It was commissioned by the Seinäjoki City Orchestra and premiered in September 2021 with Lauri Sallinen as soloist. Although these pieces form a connected series, they clearly stand apart from one another as individual works. The musical relationships between them are often loose and subtle, revealing shared roots only in fleeting gestures or textures rather than in any overt thematic continuity. < Back to Music

Colours in Blue Guitar Composed: 2002 Watch / listen Patrik Kleemola , guitar Live recording from Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Arts, Turku, Finland, October 15, 2002 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Guitar Duration: 11 minutes Movements I. Andante espressivo e molto rubato II. Adagio misterioso, poco rubato Commission / dedications Dedicated to Patrik Kleemola First performance Patrik Kleemola, guitar, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku, Finland, October 15, 2002 < Back to Music

Fractured (Memoria II) Decacorde Composed: 2024 Watch / listen Markku Klami: Fractured (Memoria II) Passing Shadows Mari Mäntylä, decacorde World premiere recording Alba Records (2025) Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Decacorde Duration: 6 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by and dedicated to Mari Mäntylä First performance Mari Mäntylä, decacorde, Lentua hall, Kuhmo Arts Centre, Kuhmo, Finland, January 30, 2025 World premiere recording Passing Shadows - Mari Mäntylä, decacorde (Alba Records, Finland, 2025) Composer's Notes Fractured (Memoria II) is a reworked, or extended version of my Etude No. 2: Memoria (Remembrance) from Etudes for guitar cycle, written for Patrik Kleemola between 2020 and 2021. The idea for this extended version with new musical material, also making use of decacorde's extended bass register, was proposed to me by decacordist Mari Mäntylä in 2024. It didn't take me long to get interested in arranging my original Memoria etude for decacorde's 10 strings. I also shared Mari's feeling that the reworked version should throw in new, contrasting music to the original etude. While the original Memoria nods at the aesthtetic of Baroque music, its sound is now further enhanced with the new sonic possibilities offered by decacorde's bass strings. The new, contrasting material heard at the beginning of the piece and again between measures 42 and 64, is based on the series of arpeggios and rich use of harmonics, to be interpreted freely and with continuous rubato manner. < Back to Music

L Orchestra Composed: 2008 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Chamber orchestra: 1.1.1.1/2.1.1.0/0.2/0/Str. (4.4.4.2.1) Duration: 3 minutes Commission / dedications For Magnus Lindberg on his 50th birthday First performance Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, cond. Dmitri Slobodeniouk, XXIII Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival, Art Factory, Porvoo, June 27, 2008 < Back to Music

verweilen Soundtrack Composed: 2020 Watch / listen Instrumentation and duration Soundtrack (2-channel stereo) Duration: 7 minutes First performance Sound installation of Art has to be contagious project, SWT-KulturWerk, Tübingen, Germany, September 25-27, 2020 Composer's Notes Art has to be contagious is a project by German composer Adrian Oswalt . The project got its inspiration of the mankind living connected to each other as social animals. During the difficult times with Covid pandemic, art connects people all around the world. Oswalt has invited composers and musicians around the world to contribute a composition or improvisation based on a melody by him. The project will be executed as sound installations at various venues, the first one being in Tübingen, Germany in September, 2020. My work verweilen (English: lingering) is a slow, lingering soundscape portraying the feelings and thoughts I have had during the pandemic: our global society has come to a halt as the virus is spreading around the world. Amid the crisis people have noticed the importance of connection with each other. The slowly unfolding music reminds of the lingering fears and threats the Covid pandemic is causing to our global society, and hopefully gives some solace with its mostly soft and delicate soundscape. < Back to Music

Clair sketches Clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet Composed: 2012 Watch / listen Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, Henrik Sandås, bandoneón, Pasi Eerikäinen, violin, Annemarie Åström, violin, Jussi Tuhkanen, viola and Markus Hohti, cello giving the world premiere of Clair sketches at Helsinki Music Centre's Camerata hall, May 2012 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet Duration: 12 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by Lauri Sallinen with support from Alfred Kordelin Foundation. Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen First performance Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, Henrik Sandås, bandoneón, Pasi Eerikäinen, violin, Annemarie Åström, violin, Jussi Tuhkanen, viola, Markus Hohti, cello, Camerata hall, Helsinki Music Centre, Helsinki, Finland, May 8, 2012 Composer's Notes This work has a little peculiar genesis. It all started when Lauri Sallinen asked me to write a new work for his debut concert at Helsinki Music Centre. I had already had very pleasant collaborations with him on my solo clarinet piece TWIRL (2008) and my clarinet concerto FUME (2008). Lauri's stunning premiere of FUME at the Ung Nordisk Musik Festival with Avanti! Orchestra in September 2010 has been one of the greatest moments of my composer career so far. Needless to say, I was immediately excited about the idea of writing a new chamber music work for his debut concert. Lauri suggested me to write a duo for clarinet and bandoneón, that thrilling relative of accordion. I had already heard Lauri and Henrik Sandås playing together as a duo for a couple of times, and these two gentlemen really do amazing job with their instruments. The duo of clarinet and bandoneón sparked an interest in me, but as late as in February of 2012 I asked Lauri for the opportunity to include a string quartet to the line-up. This was because for some reason I had developed an obsession that the work’s title had to be ”Clair". And that it should have strings in it. Luckily enough, this was ok for Lauri (as there already were plans to have a string quartet in some other works in his concert program), so the duo piece grew into a sextet. After that, things started to rupture in miraculous directions – and in this case, you can point that blaming finger at the composer. My original intention was to compose a ten-minute work. What we will hear tonight is around that duration, but the end result is something completely different from what I had originally thought. During the hectic and furious compositional process, the musical material somehow began to live its own life, and the piece began to swell over the curves in form and content. Somehow my own internal filters weren't in the best possible shape so the piece grew and grew further. It was hard to put a stop on it and the ideas about the whole work kept changing. Still, I want to follow my own instinct and not force myself to fight it, but the schedule was starting to get really tight. Something had to be finished and soon, so at a very late stage (probably in late April of 2012), I suggested to Lauri that I rework some of the materials into a separate entity, a sort of intro for the actual work that would be finished later. Clair sketches is not a prelude to a bigger work, but an entity in its own right, with some of the materials I had outlined during the spring. As a result, the work was renamed to Clair sketches , while the actual Clair was still waiting for its turn to take the final shape and form. In time, these two works will become sister works, which may be performed separately. Performing both works at the same concert would hardly make much sense, as they share such many similar characters and materials. Anyway, this is how Clair sketches came into this world. I would like to warmly thank Lauri for the commission and the Alfred Kordelin Foundation for their support towards this commission. < Back to Music

In singleness... Soprano and orchestra Composed: 2007 Watch / listen Eija Räisänen , soprano, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra , cond. Magnus Lindberg Live recording from Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival, June 29, 2007 Score / parts Music Finland (original version) Music Finland (alternative version) Instrumentation and duration Original version: Soprano and orchestra: 1.1.1.1/2.2.2.0/perc./harp/pno./Str: 6.6.4.4.2 Duration: 3 minutes Alternative version: Soprano and orchestra: 1.1.1.1/2.2.1.1/perc./harp/pno./Str: 5.4.3.2.1 First performance Eija Räisänen, soprano, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, cond. Magnus Lindberg, XXII Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival, Art Factory, Porvoo, June 29, 2007 Reflections Concert review, published on Helsingin Sanomat by Hannu-Ilari Lampila November 26, 2007 Markku Klami has written an expressive and lyrical soprano solo in his work In singleness… , set to the text of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 8. The orchestra serves as a kind of mental landscape for the singing self, where the poem’s various meanings shimmer from conflict to harmony. Composer's Notes In singleness... was written for a workshop at Avanti! Summer Sounds 2007 Festival. The music is a setting to Sonnet No. 8 "Music to hear" by William Shakespeare. Due to the maximum duration of only three minutes given for the compositions, I had to omit the first chapter of the Sonnet No. 8 from the soprano part. Experimenting with four-note all-interval chords when composing this work, I managed to find ways to bring together the pitch-class oriented harmonies and melodic motifs with my leaning onto somewhat neo-romantic qualities in music, to which I was drawn to at the time. < Back to Music

Voyage Flute, clarinet and guitar Composed: 2019 Watch / listen Hanna Juutilainen, Asko Heiskanen and Markku Laakso rehearsing for the world premiere of Voyage, January 2019 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Flute, clarinet and guitar Duration: 14 minutes Movements I. Stars over Grant Grove II. Canyons III. Giant forest Commission / dedications Commissioned by Markku Laakso with funding from North Savo regional fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Teosto Commission Fund First performance Hanna Juutilainen, flute, Asko Heiskanen, clarinet and Markku Laakso, guitar, Hannikainen hall of Nurmes House, Nurmes, Finland, February 6, 2019 Composer's Notes The trio of flute, clarinet and guitar is not quite the usual ensemble one might come across in a chamber music setting and therefore there is not so much repertoire written for it. When the guitarist Markku Laakso inquired about my interest in composing for this ensemble, I was immediately excited. I strive with great interest and curiosity for anything special, new and perhaps a bit strange – which I consider a prerequisite for maintaining all creative activity. The sonic possibilities of this trio are really versatile, so I wanted to take up the challenge. In music, I have always been fascinated by its ability to influence our experiences of time and surroundings around us. While listening to music or performing it myself, I have plunged into countless trips outside of the current situation and surroundings around me. For years, my compositional interest has focused on exploring and blurring the experiences of time and place, and I decided to continue along the same path with this trio. In my opinion, however, composing always requires some external stimulus, a reason for the music to become present. For me, these reasons come mainly from connections outside music itself, and nature in particular has for long played an ever-increasing role as a source of ideas for me. This was the case with composing Voyage as well. The first sketches I did during the summer of 2018 were heavily influenced further by my honeymoon trip to California and Nevada in October 2018. In the midst of all the hurry of our current rhythm of life, my wife and I managed to completely detach from our everyday life and enjoy each other's company in the pulse of the big cities and in the intoxicating peace of the nature. The vastness and endlessness of the Pacific Ocean, the wilderness in the sunburn deserts, the canyon areas and the Sierra Nevada Mountains impressed me forever. Although I have many times experienced similar feelings while being in the nature, perhaps a little clichéd statement for feeling very small hit me very strongly in the Giant forest of the Sequoia National Park in California. That rather small area of around 1880 acres is the home to five of the world's ten largest trees. The area's famous giants, the Giant sequoias, are among the oldest surviving trees on this planet. While walking among and standing at the foot of these trees, which reach up to the heights of a 14-story building, time disappeared. I felt as if these old giants were peacefully watching us in their sanctuary almost two kilometers above the sea level. The experience was overwhelming. These giants have survived many ordeals during their lives spanning over 3000 years, and they may well continue to live for another 1000 years, if we people allow them to do so. As a result of these experiences and thoughts, my trio became a Voyage , even though it is not really a travel diary. I would like to warmly thank Markku Laakso for the commission and the Teosto Commission Fund and the North Savo Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation for supporting the commission. Voyage is dedicated to its commissioner and performers in the premiere: flutist Hanna Juutilainen , clarinetist Asko Heiskanen and guitarist Markku Laakso. < Back to Music

Etudes Guitar Composed: 2021 Watch / listen Markku Klami: Etudes , performed by Patrik Kleemola Score / parts Edition Wilhelm Hansen Instrumentation and duration Guitar Duration: 35 minutes Movements I. Arioso II. Memoria (Remembrance) III. Riite IV. Agitato nervosamente V. Nocturno. Väre (Ripple) VI. Puro (Stream) VII. Unisono VIII. Avautuen (Unfolding) IX. Kangastus (Mirage) X. Roihu (Blaze) Commission / dedications Written for Patrik Kleemola with funding from Finnish Cultural Foundation and Arts Promotion Centre Finland Publisher Edition Wilhelm Hansen / Wise Music Classical First performance First concert performance of the whole cycle: Patrik Kleemola, guitar, Sibelius Academy International Guitar Conference, Organo hall, Helsinki Music Centre, Helsinki, Finland, February 3, 2023 YouTube premiere Patrik Kleemola released weekly videos of each Etude, accompanied by conversations between him and Klami, on his YouTube channel from September 27 to November 29, 2021. Reflections Article: "Evocative online premieres for Markku Klami's splendid Etudes for guitar from Patrik Kleemola", published on Adventures in Music by Jari Kallio November 15, 2021 Within the realm of contemporary music for guitar, there’s a fascinating new score in town, namely a cycle of ten Etudes (2021) by Markku Klami , written for the Finnish guitarist Patrik Kleemola , who has been premiering the pieces on a weekly basis on his Youtube channel . Begun with the first performance of Etude 1 Arioso on 27 September, the series is to conclude on 29 November with the premiere of Etude 10 Roihu (Blaze) . According to the composer’s foreword to the score published by Edition Wilhelm Hansen , the initial idea for a set of new etudes came up in a conversation between Klami and Klemola back in 2017. As long-time collaborators, both the composer and the guitarist shared the point of view that contemporary music doesn’t play a substantial part in the repertoire of students in music institutes. Adressing the issue, the Etudes aims to contribute to the availability of contemporary music in the repertoires of students, also younger students. Although the cycle has a clear pedagogical function, the set is also conceived as a series of fully-fledged concert pieces for students and professionals alike. The technical difficulty level increases gradually as the cycle proceeds; while the first etudes are accessible for both younger and more experienced students, the last ones are targeted at professionals. In addition, the score provides some flexibility, most notably in terms of tempi, thus making individual pieces suitable for a wider range of performers. In musical terms, the Etudes seek to portray a series of moods and vistas often rooted in various natural phenomena, while maintaining their pedagogical goals. As a result, the cycle contains marvellously evocative musical settings, ideally suited for concert performances. The first two etudes, Arioso and Memoria (Remembrance) focus on different left hand legato techniques, woven together with natural harmonics and ornamentations, giving rise to reflective soundscapes of extraordinary communicativeness. In similar vein, the evocative third etude, Riite , introduces chorale-like chord progressions juxtaposed with one-finger tremolo, played with the left hand’s thumb, inspired by the composer’s experiences on performing Richard Rodney Bennett’s Impromptu No. 2 (1968). The title refers to the old Finnish word meaning a very thin layer of ice on the water’s surface, as reflected by the almost static delicacy of the music. In contrast, the fourth etude, Agitato nervosamente , is conceived in percussive textures, with notes hammered on the fretbard with both hands. A study of interwoven legato and arpeggio figures, Adagio nervosamente fuses technical dexterity with musical narrative in the most inspired manner, showcasing the dual nature of the Etudes with admirable invention. In the ensuing Nocturno , subtitled Väre (Ripples) , aspects of microtonality are introduced by plucking the strings over the fingerboard on the ’wrong’ side of the left hand grip as well as by muting the strings with the right hand while hammering them with the left hand. Summoned by the extended techniques, a series of rippling textures are introduced, to a dazzling effect. The sixth and eighth etudes, Puro (Stream) and Avautuen (Unfolding) salute the 1970s minimalist styles of Steve Reich and Philip Glass , with their arpeggio passages and slowly transforming harmonies conceived as conscious homage. Yet the two etudes are not mere soundalikes of the two pioneer’s music, but ingenious miniatures of their own right, containing some of the most instantly appealing sonic tapestries in the series. Arpeggio passages come at play in the Unisono seventh etude too, this time within the varying rhythms in time-signatures of 7/16 and 8/16 in the outer sections. At the core of the etude lies the Più tranquillo ma poco pesante central section, with its sublime key motif appearing in octaves. A study of parallel melodic lines and repetitive plucked patterns, Unisono bears family relationship with the two etudes surrounding it, while maintaining an identity of its own. The two last etudes, to be premiered online 22 and 29 November, respectively, constitute two very different musical realms. The ninth etude, Kangastus (Mirage) , picks up where Unfolding left, introducing chord progressions realized with a glass slide. Coloured by exquisite combinations of vibrato and tremolo effects, alongside various types of extended techniques, the score of Mirage conjures up sounds far revoved from those typically associated with the guitar, resulting in a wondrously surreal sonic experience. The concluding etude, Roihu (Blaze) , comes off as definite finale . The most extended in the series, the tenth etude is a virtuosic summa, combining several techniques introduced throughout the cycle. A concertante piece at its finest, Blaze lives up to its name, providing the listener and the performer, certainly, with multi-layered challenge and entertainment. As a whole, the Etudes constitutes an inspiring and insightful cycle of musical tableaux, delightfully adding up to the repertoire, in terms of pedagogue as well as concert programming. The ten-piece set brings together several stylistic layers, reworked into a logical musical continuum of evocation and reflection. The online premiere series is conceived in a playlist of circa six-minute video clips, each featuring a premiere performance by Kleemola, followed by a short discussion between the composer and the guitarist, in Finnish, with English subtitles. Following their online firsts, Etudes 6-8 and 10 will receive their live premieres in a series of concert performances by Kleemola in Finland and Italy later this fall. From there, the musical journey will carry on with students and professional performers alike. Interview: "New works for clarinet and guitar by Markku Klami", published on Rondo by Kimmo Korhonen September 1, 2021 “Music is a space where one can go to find calm,” says composer Markku Klami. “I experience composing as a form of escapism from today’s turbulent and hectic world. Over the past ten years, I’ve been particularly interested in how music affects our experience of time and space. My pieces often unfold slowly and have a meditative quality, which I see as a conscious commentary on modern life.” That’s how Markku Klami (b. 1979) describes his artistic starting point. This September, his new music will be featured in two different events. Clair II for clarinet and large ensemble will be premiered on September 16 in Seinäjoki, with Lauri Sallinen as the soloist alongside the Seinäjoki City Orchestra. Beginning September 27, Patrik Kleemola’s YouTube channel will present Klami’s 10-movement Etudes for guitar, released one piece per week. Klami has long-standing collaborations with both Sallinen and Kleemola. One of his career’s key works so far has been the clarinet concerto FUME written for Sallinen, which was included in the jury’s recommendation list at the Uuno Klami Composition Competition in 2009. Other milestones include his first orchestral work Flow for string orchestra (2004), the children’s opera Tulevaisuuden retki ( A Journey to the Future , 2010), and the puppet opera Croak (2016–18). His next large-scale project is a Requiem for violin and orchestra commissioned by Maria Puusaari . Clair II (2020–21), written for Lauri Sallinen, represents the third phase in a series of works built around shared material. “The first piece in the cycle was Clair Sketches (2012) for clarinet, bandoneon, and string quartet, which I wrote for Lauri’s debut concert at the Sibelius Academy. I had leftover material, which I later used in a larger version titled Clair for the same instrumentation. Then Lauri asked if it could be adapted for a slightly larger ensemble including winds. While that would have been possible, the material instead evolved into a new piece. I’d say this final version consists roughly 50/50 of new and previously existing material,” Klami explains. For Klami, finding the right title is an essential part of the creative process. “I can’t even begin sketching unless I have a title and a general vision in mind. The name Clair just came to me—and in some language, it means bright, glowing, or transparent.” Though Clair II is a single-movement piece lasting about fifteen minutes, it contains many contrasting sections. “The clarinet plays a more prominent role than the other instruments, but this is not a traditional concerto setting. At times, the clarinet blends into the ensemble,” says Klami. Collaboration with performers is a vital source of inspiration in Klami’s compositional work. Klami has worked with guitarist Patrik Kleemola for nearly two decades. Guitar is familiar terrain for Klami, as he studied the instrument for about four years during his composition studies, including lessons with Timo Korhonen and Ismo Eskelinen . Kleemola premiered four of the ten Etudes (2020–21) at the Sibelius Museum in Turku in November 2020. Now, the complete cycle will be released on Kleemola’s YouTube channel. Each performance will be accompanied by a conversation video between Klami and Kleemola, discussing both pedagogical and compositional aspects of the music and highlighting the collaborative process between composer and performer. While the premiere format might seem like a response to the pandemic, that wasn’t the case. “This approach suits the COVID era well, but we actually decided back in 2017 that the etudes would be published on YouTube,” Klami notes. Each etude focuses on a specific texture or technical aspect. “I wanted to address certain technical topics, but I also definitely intended for these to work as concert pieces. They can be performed as a full suite or individually.” “The etudes increase in difficulty as the cycle progresses. The first five or six pieces are playable by advanced music students, while the later ones pose challenges even for professionals. The final etude was specifically requested by Patrik for himself, so I was free to include anything as difficult as possible,” Klami explains. “Some etudes also explore unconventional playing techniques, helping performers gain access to the language of new music. Many extended techniques aren’t inherently difficult—they just need to be known.” In addition to the video series, the dissemination of the Etudes is supported by their publication by the esteemed Edition Wilhelm Hansen . Text: Kimmo Korhonen Original article on Adventures in Music , published by Jari Kallio Original interview on Rondo , published by Kimmo Korhonen Composer's Notes Etudes for guitar continues my long collaboration with the Finnish guitarist Patrik Kleemola . The initial idea for a set of new etudes for guitar came up in a conversation I had with Kleemola back in 2017. Our mutual point of view was that contemporary music doesn’t play a substantial part in the repertoire of students in music institutes. In fact, the vast and rich oeuvre of today’s composers is something that students only come across during their academic studies in music. As we see it, the situation is more or less the same around the world. Our wish was to address this issue and contribute to the availability of contemporary music in the repertoires of students, also younger students. Although Etudes is pedagogically designed to target different playing techniques—both traditional and unconventional—my aim was just as much to compose pieces that would be suitable for concert use by students and professional guitarists alike. The result is a collection of ten etudes covering a wealth of moods, styles and sonic possibilities of a solo guitar. The technical difficulty level increases gradually as you progress through the etudes. The first etudes are suitable for younger and more experienced students alike, whereas the last etudes are primarily targeted at professional guitarists and students pursuing their professional degree in music. Since the beginning of this project, Kleemola and I had agreed to make video recordings of each etude, which will be published on Kleemola’s YouTube channel. Targeted to an international audience, each performance video is accompanied by a conversation video with Kleemola and me, where we further explain the pedagogical and musical aims of the individual etudes. These videos will be accessible on Kleemola’s YouTube channel from September 2021 onwards. < Back to Music

REPEAT Flute, electronics and video Composed: 2011 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Amplified flute, soundtrack (2-channel stereo), optional electronics, optional video Duration: 16 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by Poike Society and Turku 2011 European Capital of Culture First performance Johanna Kärkkäinen, flute, Markku Klami, electronics, Arttu Merimaa, video, European Capital of Culture 2011, Sibelius Museum, Turku, Finland, November 4, 2011 < Back to Music