Markku Klami’s FUME selected to the finals in Kaleidoscope’s 2020 Call for Scores in Los Angeles Mar 8, 2021 Los Angeles based orchestra Kaleidoscope received almost 8000 applications from composers in 86 countries in their 2020 Call for Scores. 189 works by 172 composers were selected to the final round, including Markku Klami’s clarinet concerto FUME. Los Angeles based orchestra Kaleidoscope received almost 8000 applications from composers in 86 countries in their 2020 Call for Scores. 189 works by 172 composers were selected to the final round, including Markku Klami’s clarinet concerto FUME. Klami wrote FUME for clarinetist Lauri Sallinen , who gave the premiere performance with Avanti! Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jani Telaranta at Ung Nordisk Musik Festival in Helsinki in 2010. Kaleidoscope’s annual call for scores has become one of their major programs, and most of the new music they have performed and most of the composers they have commissioned have been a part of this program. The primary goals of their call for scores are to build relationships with composers, to get to know new music that they would love to perform, and to amplify awareness of new music so more musicians and organizations will consider programming more new music. This is the second time Klami reaches the finals in Kaleidoscope's annual Call for Scores. Last year, his clarinet sextet Clair sketches was selected to the final round. More information on FUME can be found at my Orchestra music page. And if you like, be sure to listen to the first performance of the piece on SoundCloud . The performance was given by Lauri Sallinen, clarinet and Avanti! Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jani Telaranta at Ung Nordisk Music Festival in Helsinki. FUME was selected to the Jury's list of recommended works in the 2nd International Uuno Klami Composition Competition . < Back to News

Dive into the world of composer Markku Klami with an in-depth biography, musical insights, and career highlights. Biography Artistic focus Timeline Biography 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 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 Klami's concert music 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

Colori Violin Composed: 2020 Instrumentation and duration Violin (young players) Duration: 2 minutes Commission / dedications For Kiira on her 10th birthday < Back to Music

Thoughts on truth – Göreme Echoes featured at FBC's The Finnish Music of Our Time series Jul 14, 2020 Markku Klami's Göreme Echoes featured in Aikamme suomalaista musiikkia (The Finnish Music of Our Time) on Finnish Broadcasting Company Markku Klami's Göreme Echoes featured in Aikamme suomalaista musiikkia (The Finnish Music of Our Time) on Finnish Broadcasting Company. The program (in Finnish) can be streamed on Yle Areena until July 14, 2021. The program also includes Pekka Jalkanen's captivating and impressive choir piece Deesis , finely performed by Krysostomos Chamber Choir and their conductor Mikko Sidoroff . Below are some thoughts that have long influenced my compositional work. I see these topics as some of the timeless questions of humanity. They also served as a source of inspiration to me when I was composing Göreme Echoes. Different perceptions and views of truth (and — if I may say so — the certainty of the excellence and correctness of one's own view in relation to other views) have, in my view, always played an important role in conflicts between individuals and communities. In the view of a cultural context, I am inclined to think that every culture, ranging from individuals to bigger communities, have their own idea and understanding of truth. In this respect, it could be argued that every culture, and within it, every individual and the wider community, owns their own truths. This intellectual property is understandably perceived as an important part of identity and therefore as a heritage worth cherishing and something that is to be defended and protected. Throughout history, conflicting views on truth have led to a variety of conflicts, from brawls between individuals to political turmoil, violence, oppression, and even wars. These have been of interest to me for a very long time, and I think that these timeless questions have once again proved to be very topical as I follow the world events today. The discussion on many issues has culminated in a highly polarized debate in which the conflicting parties are not always even willing to listen to each other. In this case, it is no longer a matter of open debate, but of fighting for the excellence and legitimacy of one's own opinions and values in relation to the “wrong” opinions and values of others. The more one learns about the history of mankind, the more events and periods of time similar to the current world situation can be found, regardless of cultures, geographical locations, and period of time. It would seem that we are in an endless motion between different extremes. However, our current way of conversation, most notably on social media is marked by a considerable amount of debate withering away in defense of one’s own opinion and, sadly, often a very limited point of view. At worst cases, this keeps going on, regardless of the facts related to the original topic of discussion. Indeed, the debate on social media often seems like a series of rapid spinal cord reactions, in which the original topic very soon disappears into the background, sometimes even vanishing away. For some, it also seems necessary to be right and defend certain opinions an views as the only truths. This exponentially increases the likelihood of all kinds of conflicts. Sure, these thoughts and observations are not unique and new. Inspired by these thoughts and reflections, I composed Göreme for guitar and electronics, as well as its sibling, an electronic soundscape Göreme Echoes, in which I partly utilized the material of Göreme. The compositional processes of these two works have also been a part of my own healing process and steps on my path to a better future. My personal, practically lifelong experiences of physical, mental, and structural violence, not forgetting discrimination, surely have led me to ponder these topics and issues. In music and composing I have found a reason and strength to be able to go forward, even when in the whole world (or, my very limited views and experiences of the world around me) I have not seen reasons to continue my own existence. It may well be that these things can be heard in one way or another in my music. I know my experiences are not unique. They are true for far too many people regardless of any human quality. Still, many of these truths do not come to light and won’t be heard even today. I have also noticed that the hardships I experienced were not recognized at the time when they happened. Even today, they sometimes are not among the topics which get publicly discussed, nor their existence would be recognized. The eternal, timeless turbulence and turmoil seems to continue further. Perhaps timelessness is always topical. < Back to News

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

Patrik Kleemola tours with Markku Klami's Etudes in Finland and Germany Jan 22, 2023 Patrik Kleemola gives the concert world premiere of Markku Klami's entire Etudes cycle at the opening concert of Sibelius Academy's International Guitar Pedagogy Conference on February 3, 2023 at the Organo hall of the Helsinki Music Centre. Patrik Kleemola gives the concert world premiere of Markku Klami's entire Etudes cycle at the opening concert of Sibelius Academy's International Guitar Pedagogy Conference on February 3, 2023 at the Organo hall of the Helsinki Music Centre. Although several movements from Etudes have been performed around Finland and abroad by Kleemola and other guitarists as well, and Kleemola released the Etudes cycle on his YouTube channel in the autumn of 2021, this event marks the world premiere of all Etudes in the same concert. German premieres of Etudes at the forum of contemporary music in Oberstdorf, Germany on March 25, 2023 After the concert world premiere on February 3, Kleemola takes the whole Etudes cycle on tour in Finland and Germany, with performances on Feb 8 at The Church of Holy Cross in Rauma, Feb 10 at the Pyynikki hall of the Tampere Conservatory of Music, Feb 17 at the Concert hall of the Helsinki Conservatory of Music, Feb 19 at the Korkalovaara Chapel in Rovaniemi and Feb 21 at the Kaamos Gallery of the Kuusamo House in Kuusamo. On March 25, 2023 Kleemola gives the German premiere of Etudes Nos. 6 "Stream", 4 "Agitato nervosamente", 9 "Mirage" and 10 "Blaze" at the forum of contemporary music festival at Breitachklamm Hall of Oberstdorf House in Oberstdorf, Germany. Etudes was written for Patrik Kleemola with support from The Finnish Cultural Foundation and The Arts Promotion Centre Finland . Sheet music for Etudes is available via Edition Wilhelm Hansen . The concert tour in Finland is supported by The Society of Finnish Composers. See also Etudes on Patrik Kleemola's YouTube Channel Sheet music for Etudes via Edition Wilhelm Hansen Etudes event on the Sibelius Academy website < Back to News

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

eikä merta enää ole Boys' choir or mixed choir Composed: 2007 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Boys' choir or mixed choir Duration: 7 minutes Commission / dedications Commissioned by Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorum for their 20th anniversary First performance Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorum, cond. Heikki Rainio, Turku Cathedral, Turku, Finland, September 15, 2007 Reflections Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Timo Lehtovaara September 17, 2007 Markku Klami , whose career as a composer is well on its way, has himself sung in Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorum at a young age. eikä merta enää ole is a demanding work for young singers. The motifs of minor and major seconds that bubble over the pedal point at the beginning burst into a smoothly flowing harmonic texture that, despite its chromaticity, remains very airy and clear-sounding. The bass and soprano voices are often situated quite far apart, which poses challenges in terms of intonation and balance. In spite of some uncertain moments, the choir survived the performance with honor. Klami's work is a great addition to the contemporary music repertoire for boys' choir. < Back to Music

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 to Music

Announcing 2022-2023 season highlights Aug 11, 2022 Markku Klami's vocal and instrumental music will be heard on several occasions during the 2022-2023 season. Markku Klami's vocal and instrumental music will be heard on several occasions during the 2022-2023 season. The season highlights include performances of Elegia (2022), set to the poems by Katja Klami , at Tampering Festival in Tampere on August 20, 2022 and Sibelius Music Festival in Loviisa on September 4, 2022. Soprano Tuiki Järvensivu will sing in both performances with Tampering Ensemble and TampereRaw Ensemble , respectively. Tampering Ensemble photographed by Cecilia Damström Elegia is centered around big, fundamental questions about life: the thoughts and feelings aroused by involuntary childlessness, the experiences and emotions engendered in the sole caregiver by the decline of a dear one ravaged by senile decay, and the inexorable advance of climate change and global conflicts. TampereRaw photographed by Jaakko Jaskari Elegia was commissioned by Tampere Biennale and received its first performance, given by Tuiki Järvensivu and TampereRaw, at Tampere Biennale in April 2022. The Finnish Broadcasting Company nominated Elegia to The International Rostrum of Composers in 2022, organized by The International Music Council . The commission of Elegia was supported by the Sibelius Fund. Patrik Kleemola photographed by Vesa Aaltonen Guitarist Patrik Kleemola will perform a selection of Etudes (2021), a work commissioned by and dedicated to him, at the Turku Guitar Festival on October 28, 2022 and WEW Contemporary Music Festival on November 22, 2022. During February and March 2023, Kleemola tours with the entire Etudes cycle in Finland and gives the German premieres of Etudes Nos. 6, 4, 9 and 10 at the forum of contemporary music festival in Oberstdorf, Germany. The concerts in Finland feature the entire Etudes cycle, with the concert world premiere at the opening concert of Sibelius Academy's International Guitar Pedagogy Conference at Organo hall of the Helsinki Music Centre on February 3, 2023. After the premiere, Kleemola performs the Etudes on Feb 8 at The Church of Holy Cross in Rauma, Feb 10 at the Pyynikki hall of the Tampere Conservatory of Music, Feb 17 at the Concert hall of the Helsinki Conservatory of Music, Feb 19 at the Korkalovaara Chappel in Rovaniemi and Feb 21 at the Kaamos Gallery of the Kuusamo House in Kuusamo. The 10-movement cycle of Etudes was published by Edition Wilhelm Hansen in 2021 and released on Kleemola’s YouTube channel over a period of 10 weeks from September to November 2021. The videos contain a performance of each Etude, accompanied by a conversation with Kleemola and Klami. The commission of Etudes was supported by The Arts Promotion Centre Finland and The Finnish Cultural Foundation. Audite Chamber Choir photographed by Aura Nukari Klami’s recent work for mixed choir, into the deep peace (2021), set to the texts by John Muir , will get its world premiere and five subsequent performances on Audite Chamber Choir’s 30th anniversary tour, conducted by Jani Sivén . The tour starts in Turku on November 12, 2022, followed by five more concerts in Tampere (February 10, 2023), Jyväskylä (February 11, 2023) and Helsinki (March 10 & 11 and April 6, 2023). The Finnish Broadcasting Company will record and air the concerts in Helsinki on March 10 and 11, 2023. The commission of into the deep peace was supported by The Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. Audite Chamber Choir’s anniversary tour portrays six new choral works written for Audite by composers Alex Freeman , Anna Huuskonen , Markku Klami, Finn Shields , Jani Sivén and Matthew Whittall . Each work is inspired, in different ways, by nature and the human relationship with nature and its effects on nature. The concert tour, featuring light design by Ainu Palmu , takes the audience on a journey to the Sierra Mountains in California, to the depths of the oceans and reflects on human activity in relation to nature and our responsibility towards the earth, our surrounding environment and future generations. < Back to News

Tulevaisuuden retki Children's opera: 2 soloists, reciter, ensemble Composed: 2010 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration Children's opera: soprano, tenor, reciter, ensemble: clarinet, horn, percussion, piano, violin, cello Duration: 1 hour Libretto Libretto by Emma Puikkonen Acts / scenes One act: Introduction and eight scenes. Scene 7 includes two alternative versions, with the audience choosing during the performance which one will be performed. Commission / dedications Commissioned by ArtSoppa Society and Turku 2011 European Capital of Culture First performance Kirsti Tuominen, soprano, Timo Turunen, tenor, chamber ensemble, cond. Pasi Helin, Linna Theatre, Turku Music Festival & European Capital of Culture 2011, Turku, Finland, August 6, 2011 Reflections Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Katariina Norontaus February 2, 2011 A Children’s Opera That Doesn’t Underestimate Its Audience An unusual world premiere took place on Tuesday morning at Pääskyvuori School. The children’s opera Tulevaisuuden retki ("Journey to the Future"), part of the European Capital of Culture programme, tells the story of Jaspriina Akuliina Harvahammas Möttönen, who is given a mission by the President: to travel into the future and bring back something exciting, something to brighten up everyday life—and a pickle jar opener. Produced by the Turku 3011 Children’s Opera team and ArtSoppa Society, the opera aims to introduce children to the world of modern opera both as audience members and creators. Workshops related to the opera were held last semester in twelve elementary schools. “We specifically wanted to include schools without any special emphasis or focus areas, and that are located outside the city centre,” says producer Krista Leivo . Six classes participated in composition workshops, while three classes contributed to the set design and libretto. The latter groups’ creative input is strongly reflected in the final production. A Libretto with Child's Logic An hour of modern atonal music might sound like a tough listen—even for most adults. But composer Markku Klami , who composed Tulevaisuuden retki , has found through teaching and workshops that children tend to approach music with more openness than adults. “That’s why I didn’t try to write music that sounded like children’s songs—I approached it from a completely different angle.” Director Tapio Väntsi is also pleased with how the children received the hour-long performance. “There was some fidgeting in the front row—that’s where the youngest kids were sitting. One teacher even said there haven’t been many performances that students have watched so still and focused.” Emma Puikkonen , who wrote the libretto based on texts by the children, noticed that the same things that made them laugh in class also worked in the audience. < Back to Music

Lauri Sallinen premieres Markku Klami's Ambience I: Burning at Meidän Festivaali Jul 21, 2024 Lauri Sallinen, one of the most in demand Finnish clarinetists, will give the world premiere performance of Markku Klami's recent work, Ambience I: Burning, at Meidän Festivaali in Järvenpää on July 29, 2024. Lauri Sallinen , one of the most in demand Finnish clarinetists, will give the world premiere performance of Markku Klami's recent work, Ambience I: Burning , at Meidän Festivaali in Järvenpää on July 29, 2024. Ambience I: Burning for clarinet and fixed electronics is the first piece in series of works by Klami, written for solo instrument and electronics. The series, carrying a main title "Ambience", refer to Klami's roots in composing electronic music in his teens in late 1990's, and his affection to ambient music. As the title suggests, Ambience I: Burning is inspired by the concept of burning. Although burning may lead one's thoughts to fire and its destructive power, Klami's work aims to bring out burning as an event that creates new growth. The increased number of forest fires in recent years is a reminder of man's impact on his environment. At the same time, however, forest fires are a means of survival for various tree species, such as Giant sequoias growing in the Sierra Mountains of California. Ambience I: Burning proceeds from the terrifying destructive power of fire towards the birth of something new and beautiful. Ambience I: Burning was commissioned by Lauri Sallinen, and is dedicated to him. The commission was made possible with the support from the Sibelius Fund. < Back to News