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aura Alto flute and electronics Composed: 2009 Watch / listen Hanna Kinnunen , alto flute, Markku Klami , electronics Live recording from Time of Music Festival, July 11, 2009 Score / parts nkoda Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Alto flute and live electronics (2 or 4 channels) Duration: 7 minutes Commission / dedications Dedicated to Hanna Kinnunen First performance Hanna Kinnunen, alto flute, Markku Klami, electronics, Time of Music Festival, Viitasaari, Finland, July 11, 2009 Composer's Notes I composed aura for Hanna Kinnunen as a part of Composition comments project at Time of Music Festival in Viitasaari, Finland in 2009. My work comments on two other works for flute, bass flute and electronics: Poison Mushroom by Dai Fujikura and Atem-Lied by Toshio Hosokawa . aura was my first work for acoustic instruments enhanced further by the use of electronics. The work is dedicated to Hanna Kinnunen, who premiered the work at the Time of Music Festival in 2009. < Back

Clair II Clarinet and large ensemble Composed: 2021 Score / parts nkoda Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Clarinet and large ensemble: 1.1.1.1/1.0.0.0., Str. (1.1.1.1.1.) Duration: 16 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by the Seinäjoki City Orchestra. Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen First performance Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, the Seinäjoki City Orchestra, Seinäjoki hall, Seinäjoki, Finland, September 16, 2021 Reflections 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 interview on Rondo , published by Kimmo Korhonen Composer's Notes Clair II has been in the making for quite some time. Back in 2012, Lauri Sallinen commissioned and premiered my work Clair sketches for clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet in his debut concert at The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. During the composition process of Clair sketches I ended up having a bunch of material that didn't make it to the final piece. Five years later in 2017, some of that extra material, combined with the material from Clair sketches served as a basis for a new work, Clair , for the same ensemble, now with the addition of optional dancers. Clair was premiered in 2017 by Lauri Sallinen, Henrik Sandås and the Nordlyd String Quartet from Oslo, Norway at Kaivos Festival in Outokumpu, Finland. Some years later Lauri proposed an idea to arrange Clair for a bigger ensemble, namely the core ensemble of The Seinäjoki City Orchestra, composed of a wind quintet and a string quintet. This intriguing idea led to a commission from The Seinäjoki City Orchestra. What begun as an arrangement project turned out to be a new work, Clair II for clarinet and large ensemble. Clair II combines material from both Clair sketches and Clair , with completely new material added to the whole. Clair II was composed in late 2020 and the beginning of 2021 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The original premiere date planned for January 2021 had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic regulations. Lauri Sallinen premiered the work with The Seinäjoki City Orchestra on September 16, 2021, at the Seinäjoki Hall in Seinäjoki, Finland. My warmest thanks to Lauri for his collaboration with this and many earlier works of mine and to The Seinäjoki City Orchestra for the commission. < Back

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

Cinque miniature Guitar Composed: 2006 Watch / listen PERCHITARRASOLA – Finnish and Italian music for guitar Patrik Kleemola, guitar World premiere recording Pilfink Records (2012) Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Guitar Duration: 6 minutes Commission / dedications Dedicated to Patrik Kleemola First performance Patrik Kleemola, guitar, Castle of Carlo V, Monopoli, Italy, April 7, 2006 World premiere recording PERCHITARRASOLA - Finnish and Italian music for guitar - Patrik Kleemola, guitar (Pilfink Records, Finland, 2012) Reflections Album liner notes, published on Kleemola's PERCHITARRASOLA album, by Juha Torvinen Markku Klami's Cinque miniature presents itself as miniaturist musical genre paintings, as the name of the composition might suggest. The musical elements holding the miniatures together – pedal points, asymmetric rhythmics, extensive use of triplets, repetitive motifs – all these suggest that all these miniatures were painted in the same situation, as variations of the same atmosphere. The cyclical unity of the composition is intensified further by the fact that each miniature opens with tones that end the preceding miniature, and also by the fact that the first and last tone of the composition are the same. PERCHITARRASOLA album review, published on Classical Guitar Magazine by Paul Fowles April 2013 Fielding a mixed Finnish and Italian programme, the youthful and evidently able Patrik Kleemola is the dedicatee of all the items on offer. [--] With two exceptions, it all starts to sound more or less the same within a short time of hitting the 'play' button. The first oasis, which is the Cinque miniature by Markku Klami , remains a somewhat austere creation but achieves some degree of accessibility on the grounds of brevity. PERCHITARRASOLA album review, published on Turun Sanomat by Tomi Norha April 20, 2012 Of all the compositions, I find Markku Klami’s Cinque miniature the most effective — it is moderately idiomatic, versatile, and yet cohesive. Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Tomi Norha October 15, 2006 The most compelling part of Massimo Felici's concert was Cinque miniature by Turku-based composer Markku Klami — a stylish and cohesive work. Klami demonstrates a fine ability to evoke a wide range of characters and to make full use of the guitar’s distinctive qualities. Composer's Notes April 2024 Cinque miniature was composed for Patrik Kleemola between 2005 and 2006, alongside other projects. This short solo guitar piece received its premiere in April 2006 at the Castle of Charles V in Monopoli, Italy, performed by Kleemola. Since then, it has traveled the world in his repertoire, and to my great delight, many other guitarists have also taken the piece into their programs. The piece received its first recording in 2012 on Kleemola’s debut solo album PERCHITARRASOLA – Finnish and Italian music for guitar (Pilfink Records, 2012). Over the past two decades, Cinque miniature has become my most frequently performed work—played by professional guitarists and students alike across the globe. < Back

Fractured (Memoria II) Decacorde Composed: 2024 Watch / listen 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

trompetgeskal Brass quintet Composed: 2006 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Brass quintet Duration: 2 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by Finnish Student Health Service, Turku, for their 50th anniversary First performance Finnish Student Health Service Turku 50th anniversary gala, Brass quintet of Sohon Torwet, VPK House, Turku, Finland, February 3, 2006 < Back

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

Glow Ensemble Composed: 2005 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Clarinet, horn, trumpet, harp, percussion, piano (2 players) Duration: 6 minutes Movements I. II. III. Commission / dedications Commissioned by the Kemiönsaari Music Guild First performance Henna Jämsä, clarinet, Jukka Rajala, trumpet, Tanja Nisonen, horn, Antti Suoranta, percussion, Lily-Marlene Puusepp, harp, Pasi Helin and Hanna Kosonen, piano, Kemiö Music Festival, Kemiö, Finland, June 29, 2005 Reflections Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Tomi Norha July 2, 2005 One of the best aspects of the Kemiö Music Festival is its commitment to supporting new creative music: every year features at least one premiere. This year set a new record with three commissioned works, two of which were heard at this children’s concert. Asta Hyvärinen’s Stride for harp was a study in tone color, deliberately avoiding traditional playing techniques. Harpist Lily-Marlene Puusepp demonstrated that both a candlestick and a harp can create fascinating sonic worlds. Markku Klami’s Glow is a depiction of a natural landscape at the moment of sunrise, and—whether intentional or not—its melodic writing constantly reminded me of the beginning of Part II of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring . Both of the new works resonated well with the young audience. Even the youngest in our family, still just a baby in arms, listened with curious attention. My five- and nine-year-old sons summed up the concert with poetic simplicity: “Everything was excellent.” < Back

Croak Opera: 5 soloists, choir and orchestra Composed: 2018 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Opera: 5 soloists (soprano, tenor, mezzo-soprano, counter-tenor, and bass baritone), SATB choir, orchestra: 2.2.2.2/2.2.0.0./perc./Str. Duration: 2 hours Libretto Libretto by Mikhail Brashinsky Acts / scenes Opera in two acts with 16 scenes Commission / dedications Commissioned by Mixed Art Society Poike and Pori Opera Society First performance Directed by Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya Puppets and visual design by Viktor Antonov Joonas Eloranta, tenor, Anna-Kristiina Kaappola, soprano, Teppo Lampela, counter-tenor, Merja Mäkelä, mezzo-soprano, Jouni Kokora, bass-baritone, Pori Opera Choir, Pori Sinfonietta, cond. Nils Schweckendiek, Promenade Hall, Pori, Finland, March 9, 2018 Reflections Concert review, published on Satakunnan Kansa by Juha-Pekka Peltonen March 12, 2018 Even Joseph Haydn , known as the father of musical Classicism, composed several puppet operas for his employer, the Esterházy court. Another well-known puppet opera is Master Peter’s Puppet Show by Spanish composer Manuel de Falla . Its libretto is based on a visually imaginative puppet-theater episode from Miguel de Cervantes’s novel Don Quixote . So, there are some precedents for the opera Croak . However, what makes the Pori production unique is, at the very least, the fact that the opera has two composers. As a listener, I felt it wasn’t necessary to know which composer had written the music for which scene. The composers had clearly agreed on a unified approach, and both were unquestionably capable of setting the dramatic turns of the libretto to music in a way that captured the listener’s interest. Tonality and slightly entertainment-leaning colors were not avoided, yet the musical language remained sophisticated, skillful, and expressive from beginning to end. Under the baton of Nils Schweckendiek , the Pori Sinfonietta brought the orchestral fabric vividly to life, and the Pori Opera Choir—also key in producing many of the opera’s effects—performed with determination, strength, and full dedication. The puppets, created by Viktor Antonov and representing the St. Petersburg tradition, had already generated interest in Pori prior to the actual Croak performances. The puppeteers were seven students of director Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya , all trained in puppet theater. During the first act, I found myself wishing the puppets had been given even more prominence. From the balcony, the live singers occasionally overshadowed the delicate-looking puppets under certain lighting conditions. Still, the puppets truly came into their own in the scenes where Croak—having made a pact with the devil-wolf and gained a seductively magnificent singing voice—commits murders of young women. The second act, which focused on the love story between Croak and Olivia, featured stunningly sophisticated puppet sequences—such as the lovers riding together, and at the very end, Croak’s severed head floating after being killed by Olivia. Every singing role was performed by a top-tier artist. Joonas Eloranta as Croak, Jouni Kokora as the Prince, and Merja Mäkelä as the Princess all delivered strong performances throughout. Countertenor Teppo Lampela’s vocal brilliance in the role of the wolf stole the spotlight. And soprano Anna-Kristiina Kaappola brought an extraordinary sense of authority to her role, her connection to the Olivia puppet figure seeming almost magical. To borrow a phrase from Master Peter in Don Quixote , Pori’s Croak can truly be called “one of the most remarkable sights of our time.” Interview, published on Satakunnan Kansa by Hanna Laasanen March 6, 2018 How did the collaboration between two composers work in the opera Croak? Premiering this Friday in Pori, Croak is an opera with two composers: Maria Kallionpää and Markku Klami . Or more precisely, they split the opera evenly, dividing the scenes between them. The composers have known each other for a long time. They studied composition at the Sibelius Academy during the same period, have collaborated previously, and are also friends. Originally, the opera was to be composed by Jouni Kaipainen . After his passing, Kallionpää and Klami began discussing the idea of working together. Neither had enough time to write a full opera on their own alongside other professional commitments. The result, heard in Croak ’s rehearsals, is strikingly varied and richly textured. The music captures the opera’s quick shifts in atmosphere with vivid clarity, supporting the darkly fairytale-like, drama-filled story—one that is not short on corpses. The composer doesn’t change with every scene, but roughly every 20 minutes. At times, this transition was a creative advantage. For example, in the seventh scene, the stage fills with the bodies of women. This is followed by a comedic bar scene. “It was a good moment to also change composers, because the atmosphere shifts so dramatically,” says Klami. Their work began two years ago. The two composers tied their sections together with shared musical motifs and harmonic ideas. They began by creating short musical sketches to represent characters and situations, then exchanged them with one another. Each worked independently but shared MIDI drafts throughout the process. Klami is cautious about the idea of collective composing, which has become more common in contemporary music. “Composing takes you deep into your own subconscious—how can you really share something that comes from that level? If everyone brings their own deepest layers into the process, the resulting work may suffer from compromise. In this case, it worked well because we both had the freedom to create our own interpretations.” Both composers also sang through the vocal music they had written, to ensure it fit naturally with the voice. “I studied classical singing when I was younger. I wouldn’t perform these pieces myself, but it’s helpful to be able to try them out,” Kallionpää says. Conductor Nils Schweckendiek finds the dual-composer approach fascinating. He believes audiences will be able to tell who composed which parts, as the composers’ musical languages are quite distinct. “Markku is an elegant composer whose harmonies blend smoothly from one to the next. Maria’s musical language is a bit more angular. She stays very close to the text and focuses intently on the expression of each moment, whereas Markku paints in broader strokes,” Schweckendiek explains. Kallionpää also employs the full orchestra more often in her scenes compared to Klami. “Having two composers brings variety to the orchestra, but it also presents a challenge when the style changes from scene to scene. The performers need to adapt their playing as well.” Croak has a musical language entirely its own, though at times its textures, harmonies, and structures reminded Schweckendiek of Czech composer Leoš Janáček . Work commentary Markku Klami and Maria Kallionpää co-composed Croak , each independently writing their pre-assigned scenes. The opera is a commission by the Pori Opera Society and Mixed-art Society Poike. Originally the opera was commissioned from Jouni Kaipainen (1956-2015), whose work was left unfinished. The new composers started from a scratch and begun composing a new opera in 2016. They divided the opera into sections where every scene is composed by only one composer. Croak – or the Unexpected Joys and Perils of Singing is the first full-length opera work by Klami and Kallionpää. < Back

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

Dive into the world of composer Markku Klami with an in-depth biography, musical insights, and career highlights. Biography Artistic focus Timeline Biography In English Markku Klami is a Finnish composer whose music has been described as delicate, elegant, fragile, and powerful—evoking strong emotional responses. Klami draws inspiration for his compositions from nature and urban environments alike, aiming to offer listeners a moment of peace amid an increasingly fast-paced world. Through his works, Klami seeks to highlight the mysteries of human existence—its questions, fates, and fragile journeys—while giving voice to the profound presence of nature. His music pays tribute to the majesty of the natural world, a force before which humanity appears small and fleeting. Klami's music has been performed across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa at festivals such as ISCM World New Music Days, International Rostrum of Composers, MISE-EN MUSIC, Nordic Music Days, Musica nova Helsinki, Turku Music Festival, Tampere Biennale, Atlantic Music Festival, Zagreb Music Biennale, and Taiwan International Guitar Festival. Born in Turku in 1979, Klami’s musical path began in childhood through piano and violin studies and a decade-long membership in Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorum, the boys’ choir of Turku Cathedral. These formative years, along with early explorations in electronic music, laid the groundwork for a diverse output that includes solo, chamber, and orchestral works—often blending acoustic instruments with electronics—as well as vocal music and two operas. A classically trained composer, Klami studied at the Turku Music Academy and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Tuomo Teirilä and Tapio Tuomela, respectively. In recent years, he has also returned to his roots in electronic music through ambient releases alongside his concert music. Since 2021, a selection of Klami’s works have been published by Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Wise Music Classical Group). His work has been supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Arts Promotion Centre Finland, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, the Sibelius Fund, the Madetoja Foundation, the Teosto Cultural Foundation, and the Teosto Commission Fund. Klami lives and thinks of music in Helsinki, drawing creative energy from both urban environments and the nature—particularly the seashores, forests, and open landscapes that offer him a vital balance in today’s fast-paced world. Artistic focus See the Timeline for more Media Kit Suomeksi Markku Klamin musiikkia on luonnehdittu herkäksi, elegantiksi, intensiiviseksi ja vahvoja tunne-elämyksiä herättäväksi. Klami ammentaa inspiraatiota teoksiinsa usein luonnosta ja toisaalta myös urbaaneista ympäristöistä, pyrkien tarjoamaan kuulijalle hetken hengähdystauon alati ylikierroksilla käyvästä maailmastamme. Teostensa kautta Klami pyrkii myös nostamaan esiin ihmiselämän suuria kysymyksiä sekä antamaan äänen luonnon ikuiselle läsnäololle. Hän kunnioittaa luonnon suuruutta, jonka rinnalla ihmiselämä näyttäytyy pienenä ja katoavaisena. Klamin musiikkia on esitetty eri puolilla Eurooppaa, Pohjois- ja Etelä-Amerikkaa, Aasiaa ja Afrikkaa festivaaleilla kuten ISCM World New Music Days, International Rostrum of Composers, MISE-EN MUSIC, Nordic Music Days, Musica nova Helsinki, Turun Musiikkijuhlat, Tampere Biennale, Atlantic Music Festival, Zagreb Music Biennale ja Taiwan International Guitar Festival. Turussa vuonna 1979 syntyneen Klamin musiikillinen polku alkoi jo varhain pianon- ja viulunsoiton opinnoilla sekä kymmenvuotisella taipaleella Turun tuomiokirkon poikakuorossa Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorumissa. Näiden vuosien aikana syntynyt kiinnostus sekä akustiseen että elektroniseen musiikkiin on sittemmin johtanut monipuoliseen tuotantoon, johon kuuluu soolo-, kamari- ja orkesteriteoksia, usein akustisia soittimia ja elektroniikkaa yhdisteleviä sävellyksiä, vokaalimusiikkia sekä kaksi oopperaa. Klami opiskeli sävellystä Turun ammattikorkeakoulun Musiikkiakatemiassa Tuomo Teirilän ja Sibelius-Akatemiassa Tapio Tuomelan johdolla. Viime vuosina hän on palannut konserttimusiikin säveltämisen ohella myös juurilleen elektronisen musiikin pariin. Klamin teoksia on vuodesta 2021 alkaen julkaissut Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Wise Music Classical Group). Hänen työtään säveltäjänä ovat tukeneet muun muassa Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Taiteen Edistämiskeskus, Jenny ja Antti Wihurin rahasto, Sibelius-rahasto, Madetoja-säätiö, Teoston kulttuurisäätiö sekä Teoston Sävellystilaustoimikunta. Nykyisin Helsingissä asuva Klami inspiroituu sekä urbaaneista ympäristöistä että luonnosta – erityisesti merenrannoista, metsistä ja avarista maisemista, jotka tarjoavat hänelle tärkeän vastapainon nykypäivän keskeytyksiä ja häiriöitä täynnä olevassa arkielämässämme. Artistic focus Concert music Markku Klami’s concert works span a wide range of forces—from intimate solo pieces and chamber music to orchestral works, concertos, vocal music, and even opera. While each composition is shaped by its unique context, Klami’s artistic voice is unified by a search for calm, timelessness, and sensitivity of sound. His music often dwells in delicate textures and quiet spaces, inviting the listener into a world that is both reflective and emotionally resonant. At times, he expands his sonic palette through the use of electronics, subtly blending acoustic and electronic elements into cohesive soundscapes. Discover more Electronic music In his electronic music, Markku Klami explores the ambient genre through immersive, slowly evolving soundscapes. These works offer a space for stillness and contemplation—sonic environments that unfold gradually, inviting the listener to settle into their depths. Whether experienced on their own or in dialogue with acoustic instruments, Klami’s electronic pieces reflect his ongoing interest in nuance, atmosphere, and the quiet power of sound. They are not so much narratives as they are places—audio landscapes in which time seems to stretch, soften, and dissolve. Timeline Highlights 1970s February 21, 1979. Born in Turku, Finland. 1980s Markku Klami’s interest in music sparked at an early age during the 1980s, a decade that marked the very beginning of his artistic path. In the mid and late 1980s, Klami began taking private piano lessons, followed by violin studies. These early instrumental lessons provided him with his first experiences in musicianship and laid the foundation for his later explorations in composition. Show more 1990s Klami’s musical journey began in early childhood and deepened significantly throughout the 1990s, a formative decade that laid the groundwork for his later work as a composer. In the early 1990s, Klami continued his violin studies under Kai Vilevaara , developing a strong classical foundation. He also gained early performance experience as a member of Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorum, with international tours to Sweden (1990) and England (1992). Show More 2000s During the 2000s, Klami transitioned from electronic music performance to a focused pursuit of his own compositional voice. He began his academic journey with studies in musicology at the University of Turku and later deepened his musical expertise at the Turku University of Applied Sciences, where he majored in music theory and composition with Tuomo Teirilä , and studied classical guitar with Timo Korhonen and Ismo Eskelinen . He also began teaching music theory at the Turku Conservatory of Music in 2001, marking the beginning of a long-standing parallel career in music education. Klami’s compositional career gained momentum with the 2002 premiere of Colours in Blue by guitarist Patrik Kleemola , sparking a long and fruitful collaboration with Kleemola that resulted in multiple guitar works performed internationally, both by Kleemola and other guitarists. His orchestral debut Flow won the Finnish Polytechnic Orchestra's national composition competition in 2004, leading to several performances with the orchestra and conductor Atso Almila on their concert tour in Finland and Slovakia. Show More 2010s The 2010s marked a period of broad international recognition and artistic diversification for Klami. His music was performed across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, while his creative range expanded to include vocal works, electroacoustic pieces, and opera. Klami began the decade with a series of high-profile premieres, including night signal for male choir, commissioned by the Polytech Choir, and FUME , a clarinet concerto premiered by Lauri Sallinen and Avanti! at the Ung Nordisk Music Festival. He completed his Master of Music in Composition at the Sibelius Academy in 2010, and shortly thereafter, his children’s opera Tulevaisuuden retki was premiered at the Turku Music Festival as part of the official European Capital of Culture 2011 program—one of several commissions tied to this significant cultural year. Show More 2020s Klami’s work in the 2020s has been marked by growing international recognition, high-profile festival appearances, and a steady stream of commissions and premieres. His music has reached new audiences across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia, while continuing to engage Finnish listeners through performances, recordings, and broadcast media. In July 2020, Göreme Echoes was featured on Yle Radio 1’s (Finnish Broadcasting Company) Finnish Music of Our Times series, followed in August by Klami’s New York debut at the MISE-EN_MUSIC FESTIVAL with aura , performed by Kelley Barnett and the mise-en ensemble. The following month, he premiered the sound installation verweilen in Tübingen, Germany, which was released digitally in December. November 2020 saw the premiere of the first four movements of Etudes , performed by Patrik Kleemola at the Sibelius Museum in Turku. Show More

Elegia Soprano and ensemble Composed: 2022 Watch / listen Tuiki Järvensivu , soprano, TampereRaw Ensemble Live recording from Tampere Biennale Festival, April 7, 2022 Recording by the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Released with permission from the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Score / parts nkoda Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Soprano and ensemble: flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano Duration: 13 minutes Movements I. Minä kuvittelin sinulle elämän (I imagined a life for you) II. Hiipuen (Fading) III. Palava maa (The burning earth) Text Poems by Katja Klami Commission / dedications Commissioned by Tampere Biennale Festival 2022 with support from Sibelius Fund First performance Tuiki Järvensivu, soprano, TampereRAW Ensemble: Anna Angervo, violin, Maija Juuti, cello, Seppo Planman, flute, Janne Pesonen, clarinet, Ville Hautakangas, piano, visualization by Arttu Nieminen, Tampere Biennale Festival, Tampere Old Church, Tampere, Finland, April 7, 2022 Reflections Concert review, published on Kulttuuritoimitus by Kikka Holmberg April 8, 2022 The first premiere of the evening was Elegia (2022), a commission by Tampere Biennale, composed by Markku Klami to poems by Katja Klami . Scored for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, the piece formed a beautiful union of music and text. Markku Klami does not lean on overtly modernist means of expression, which leaves generous space for the poetry to resonate. The musical textures unfold harmoniously and richly. Tuiki Järvensivu’s soprano shimmered with colour, and the highest notes, in particular, blossomed beautifully in the acoustics of the Old Church. Katja Klami’s understated yet powerfully expressive poems emerged as both timeless and timely—deeply affecting in their simplicity. Concert review, published on Hufvudstadsbladet by Mats Liljeroos September 5, 2022 Elegia for soprano and instrumental quintet, composed by Markku Klami and premiered earlier this year, leans somewhat closer to a traditional modernist idiom. Set to poems by his wife, Katja Klami , the work’s expressive and at times breathtakingly beautiful musical language left a thoroughly personal impression. Tuiki Järvensivu’s wonderfully supple and resonant soprano soared effortlessly on its elegiac wings. Concert review, published on Jälkikaikuja Korvakäytävillä by Jari Hoffrén April 22, 2022 The compactness of the Old Church as a performance space seemed to be echoed in the profile of the evening’s program. Markku Klami’s Elegia received its world premiere—a work that listeners could prepare for in advance through the composer’s own program notes available online. This leads us to an essential question about the origins of music and the elements—bodily experience included—that, in line with the festival’s theme, shape the landscapes emerging in a composer’s mind. In this work, written to texts by Katja Klami (the composer’s spouse), various forms of loss are explored. The first movement, Minä kuvittelin sinulle elämän (“I imagined a life for you”), begins from above—only to let go and descend. Amid this stripped-back atmosphere comes a brief moment of bubbling, sparkling energy. A dramatic shift follows, painting a vision of imagined love, exuding bittersweet brightness: “the first love, piercing and enchanting.” In the second movement, Hiipuen ("Fading"), the disintegration of identity and mind is examined, slowly unraveling—“your self is being stripped from you.” It feels as though the fate-knocking piano asks whether it might be time to surrender. The movement ends with a beautiful solo passage. “I clench the soil in my hand. How can mercy hurt so much?” asks soprano Tuiki Järvensivu , touchingly. The third movement, Palava maa (“The burning earth”), drifts into a kind of cosmic mood—perhaps because there’s nothing else left. The musical language here leans toward stylized resignation, steering clear of bombastic dramatization or destructive roaring. A central message is repeated: “there are only great fiery winds / and the fading flight of life.” The glimmer fades, and the astral piano brings this premiere to a resonant close. The music, emotionally charged and true to its own voice, serves these songs well. — The composer later shared his delight with the performance and specifically mentioned how deeply moved he was by the vocal delivery. Composer's Notes Translation by Susan Sinisalo Elegia (Elegy) was commissioned by the Tampere Biennale festival. The commissioner's wish was that the texts in my work would focus on human destinies. Inspired by this desire, my interest focused on human destinies at both personal and global levels. The first movement, I imagined a life for you , concentrates on the thoughts and feelings aroused by involuntary childlessness. Longing, grief, hope and sadness merge from time to time with emotional turmoil: Why us? Could our dream still come true? Might we take part in the miracle of a new life, and follow the growth and development of that life? These and many other thoughts must surely face anyone suffering from involuntary childlessness. In the second movement, Fading , the music solidifies into slow, lingering and at times crumbling timbres. The words focus on the experiences and conflicting emotions engendered in the sole caregiver by the decline of a dear one ravaged by senile decay. The gradual decline of another's personality causes great anguish. Impending death may therefore also appear to be a liberating end to that person's demise. The short, laconic text of the last movement, The burning earth , strikes to the very heart of the inexorable advance of climate change and global conflicts. What makes individuals and even large communities act in ways that erode the prerequisites for a safe and peaceful life and a sustainable future? Faced with these huge questions, we often feel helpless, and in our own personal lives the chances of influencing seem small, even negligible. We are obliged to observe the great change as mere bystanders, as it were. Elegia was composed with a grant from the Sibelius Fund of The Society of Finnish Composers. I warmly thank my wife, Katja Klami , for her moving poems, the Tampere Biennale for its commission, the Sibelius Fund for its support, and the musicians who premiered my work for their magnificent collaboration. < Back