Stay up to date with news about Markku Klami’s music—premieres, recordings, collaborations, awards, and other highlights from his career. News Jun 15, 2026 Markku Klami nominated for Finnish Music Publishers Composer of the Year award Klami's Violin Concerto: A Requiem is nominated in Composer of the Year category for large-scale works Read more May 20, 2026 Markku Klami's into the deep peace released on Audite chamber choir's album Voices of Earth Audite Chamber Choir’s new album Voices of Earth features six environmentally themed works, all commissioned for the choir’s 30th anniversary season. Read more Dec 18, 2025 Mari Mäntylä's album Passing Shadows featuring Markku Klami's Fractured (Memoria II) nominated for Emma Classical Award 2026 Mari Mäntylä’s album Passing Shadows (Alba Records, 2025) has been nominated for the Emma Classical Award 2026—part of the Emma Awards, Finland’s most prestigious annual honours celebrating artistic achievement in recorded music. The album features newly commissioned works, including Markku Klami’s Fractured (Memoria II). Read more Nov 14, 2025 Maria Puusaari and Tampere Philharmonic to premiere Markku Klami's Violin Concerto Markku Klami’s Violin Concerto: A Requiem receives its world premiere at the Tampere Biennale, performed by Maria Puusaari and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra under Ruut Kiiski’s baton Read more Jun 10, 2025 Markku Klami's Fractured (Memoria II) released on Mari Mäntylä’s album Passing Shadows Featuring contemporary works for decacorde, the album is out now on Alba Records and includes new music by Tõnu Kõrvits, Markku Klami, René Eespere, Charlotte Bray, Juan Antonio Muro, Mari Sainio, Pekka Jalkanen — and Mari Mäntylä herself. Read more Mar 30, 2025 FMQ publishes Markku Klami's column on the significance of arts and culture for humanity In this deeply personal column, Markku Klami reflects on how music became his survival strategy, why composing remains his greatest calling, and how culture can give us a reason to live. Read more Jan 28, 2025 World premiere of Markku Klami's Fractured (Memoria II) given by decacordist Mari Mäntylä Mari Mäntylä, the leading Finnish decacordist, will give the world premiere performance of Markku Klami's recent work, Fractured (Memoria II), at Kuhmo Arts Centre's Lentua hall in Kuhmo on January 30, 2025. Read more Jul 21, 2024 Lauri Sallinen premieres Markku Klami's Ambience I: Burning at Meidän Festivaali 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. Read more Nov 22, 2023 Markku Klami's Elegia featured at ISCM World New Music Days in South Africa Markku Klami's song cycle Elegia, to the poems by Katja Klami, will be featured at the International Society for Contemporary Music World New Music Days Festival in South Africa Read more Feb 5, 2023 Audite tours with Markku Klami’s into the deep peace 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. Read more Jan 22, 2023 Patrik Kleemola tours with Markku Klami's Etudes in Finland and Germany 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. Read more Aug 11, 2022 Announcing 2022-2023 season highlights Markku Klami's vocal and instrumental music will be heard on several occasions during the 2022-2023 season. Read more Jun 4, 2022 Markku Klami's Elegia nominated to the 68th International Rostrum of Composers The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) recently nominated Markku Klami's Elegia to the poems by Katja Klami to this year’s International Rostrum of Composers, organized by the International Music Council. Read more Mar 29, 2022 TampereRaw to premiere Markku Klami's Elegia at Tampere Biennale Festival A new work for soprano and Pierrot ensemble, titled Elegia (Elegy) by Markku Klami will be premiered by soprano Tuiki Järvensivu and TampereRaw, a Tampere-based ensemble of contemporary music, at Tampere Biennale Festival on April 7, 2022. Read more Nov 26, 2021 Edition Wilhelm Hansen publishes Markku Klami's Etudes for guitar The biggest music publisher in Scandinavia, Edition Wilhelm Hansen, has published Markku Klami's Etudes for guitar. Read more Sep 24, 2021 Patrik Kleemola gives the YouTube premiere of Klami's Etudes for guitar A 10-week release event of Markku Klami's Etudes for guitar (2021) begins on Monday, September 27, 2021 and will run until Monday, November 29, 2021 on Patrik Kleemola's YouTube channel. Read more Sep 10, 2021 September premieres with Lauri Sallinen & Seinäjoki City Orchestra and Patrik Kleemola Lauri Sallinen premieres Markku Klami's Clair for clarinet and large ensemble with the Seinäjoki City Orchestra on September 16, 2021. Patrik Kleemola releases weekly premieres of Klami's Etudes for guitar on his YouTube channel on Mondays from September 27 until November 29, 2021. Rondo Classic interviewed Klami for their September 2021 issue of the magazine. Read more Mar 8, 2021 Markku Klami’s FUME selected to the finals in Kaleidoscope’s 2020 Call for Scores in Los Angeles 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. Read more Dec 18, 2020 verweilen released on streaming platforms verweilen, an ambient soundscape inspired by the coronavirus pandemic has just been released on various streaming platforms. Read more Nov 3, 2020 Patrik Kleemola to premiere Markku Klami's Etudes for guitar Four etudes, titled ”Memoria”, ”Agitato nervosamente”, ”Nocturno” and ”Stream” from Markku Klami’s upcoming Etudes for guitar collection will get their world premiere by Finnish guitarist Patrik Kleemola in his recital on November 11, 2020 at the Sibelius museum in Turku, Finland. Read more Aug 18, 2020 Markku Klami makes his New York debut with ensemble mise-en The New York-based ensemble mise-en will arrange their annual MISE-EN MUSIC FESTIVAL in Brooklyn, New York on August 17-20, 2020. The festival program features Markku Klami's "aura" for alto flute and electronics. Read more Jul 14, 2020 Thoughts on truth – Göreme Echoes featured at FBC's The Finnish Music of Our Time series Markku Klami's Göreme Echoes featured in Aikamme suomalaista musiikkia (The Finnish Music of Our Time) on Finnish Broadcasting Company Read more Oct 23, 2019 Clair sketches selected as a finalist in Kaleidoscope's 2019 Call for Scores in Los Angeles Markku Klami's Clair sketches for clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet has been selected as one of the finalists in Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra's 2019 Call for Scores. Kaleidoscope received over 2200 entries from composers from 90 countries around the world in their recent Call for scores for their upcoming 6th concert season in 2019-2020. Read more Feb 25, 2019 Victory over violence – Why I became a composer and the story behind composing Göreme Markku Klami's Göreme released on streaming platforms Read more Dec 18, 2018 Göreme Echoes released on Spotify and other streaming platforms Markku Klami's Göreme Echoes released on streaming platforms Read more Oct 12, 2018 Cooperation with clarinetist Lucy Abrams Lucy Abrams performs Markku Klami's TWIRL in Lithuania and Finland Read more Sep 29, 2018 World premiere of Karui at Uuden Musiikin Lokakuu Festival Markku Klami's Karui premiered at Uuden Musiikin Lokakuu Festival in Oulu Read more Mar 6, 2018 The first ever large-scale puppet opera in the Nordic countries premieres on March 9, 2018 The puppet opera "Croak – Or The Unexpected Joys And Perils of Singing" will premiere at Pori Opera on March 9, 2018 Read more

Markku Klami nominated for Finnish Music Publishers Composer of the Year award Jun 15, 2026 Klami's Violin Concerto: A Requiem is nominated in Composer of the Year category for large-scale works Markku Klami has been nominated for Finnish Music Publishers Award 2026 in the category Composer of the Year – Large-Scale Works for his Violin Concerto: A Requiem . The awards are presented annually by the Finnish Music Publishers Association , which represents Finnish music publishers. This year marks the association’s 50th anniversary. The Finnish Music Publishers Awards recognize outstanding achievements in Finnish music across a range of categories, including Song of the Year, Popular Music Creator of the Year, Open Category Work of the Year, Export Achievement of the Year, Composer of the Year (Large-Scale and Small-Scale Works), and Breakthrough of the Year. The nominees are selected based on proposals submitted by the association’s member publishers, while the winners are chosen by invited expert juries. The winners of the Finnish Music Publishers Awards 2026 will be announced at the gala ceremony on September 10, 2026 at the White Hall in Helsinki. Wise Music Classical covered the world premiere of Klami’s Violin Concerto in a news article published on April 13, 2026 www.wisemusicclassical.com World premiere of new violin concerto by Markku Klami Written for violinist Maria Puusaari , the concerto is a deeply personal requiem for an unborn life. Across three movements, De profundis, Alcheringa, and Ad lucem, Klami traces an emotional journey from anger and frustration, through a dreamlike and fragile state where hope briefly emerges to a final striving towards light. Blending the intensity of a concerto with the reflective character of a requiem, the work unfolds as both an intimate and universal meditation on loss, longing, and resilience. – Wise Music Classical / Edition Wilhelm Hansen < Back to News

Browse Markku Klami’s complete catalogue—from solo to orchestral, vocal to electronic. Discover detailed information, score availability, recordings, composer’s notes, reviews, and interviews related to each work. Music Browse by ensemble Chamber music Electro-acoustic Electronics Opera Orchestra Orchestra / ensemble with soloist Solo Vocal / choral Browse by ensemble Butterfly String quartet (young players) Fractured (Memoria II) Decacorde Ambience I: Burning Clarinet and electronics Violin Concerto: A Requiem Violin and orchestra Elegia Soprano and ensemble into the deep peace Mixed choir Etudes Guitar Clair II Clarinet and large ensemble verweilen Soundtrack Colori Violin Voyage Flute, clarinet and guitar Karui Quartertone clarinet and quartertone accordion Croak Opera: 5 soloists, choir and orchestra Clair Clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet Värein Piano, 4 percussionists and string orchestra (young players) afore Piano aava Guitar and electronics karu Guitar trio ripples Piano Clair sketches Clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet REPEAT Flute, electronics and video red moon String quartet ...and there's always music in the air." Flute and string quartet Tulevaisuuden retki Children's opera: 2 soloists, reciter, ensemble Oi surkaa Mixed choir or vocal ensemble

Violin Concerto: A Requiem Violin and orchestra Composed: 2023 Watch / listen Maria Puusaari , violin, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra , cond. Ruut Kiiski World premiere performance, recorded by the Finnish Broadcasting Company at Tampere Biennale Festival on April 17, 2026 Full concert recording. Klami's Violin Concerto begins at time 12:24, and ends at 40:30. Score / parts Edition Wilhelm Hansen Instrumentation and duration Solo violin and orchestra: 2(pic).2.2(bcl)2./2.2.0.0/perc./Str. (minimum 6.4.4.2.2, preferred: 8.6.6.4.3) Duration: 26 minutes Movements I. De profundis II. Alcheringa III. Ad lucem Commission / dedications Commissioned by Maria Puusaari with support from Madetoja Foundation and Teosto Commission Fund. Dedicated to Maria Puusaari Publisher Edition Wilhelm Hansen / Wise Music Classical Accolades Nominated for the 2026 Finnish Music Publishers Association's Composer of Year award in large-scale work category First performance Maria Puusaari, violin, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Ruut Kiiski, Tampere Biennale Festival, Tampere Hall, Tampere, Finland, April 17, 2026 Reflections Concert review, published on Aamulehti by Harri Hautala April 18, 2026 From [Suvisoitto for flute and tape by Usko] Meriläinen , the program moved directly to Markku Klami’s new violin concerto Requiem . The listener may or may not keep in mind the theme of involuntary childlessness that underlies the work, but as pure music the concerto made a deep impression. It does not strive for outward display; instead, it speaks powerfully through its inner voices. In this concerto, Klami has created an exceptionally refined sound world, in which the rich orchestral writing and the solo violin communicate with sensitivity and natural ease. Stylistically, the musical language even approaches neo-Romanticism or neo-Classicism, yet feels fresh and avoids cliché. The interplay of light and shadow resonated movingly and beautifully, both in the orchestra and in the nuanced performance of violinist Maria Puusaari . Concert review, published on Kulttuuritoimitus by Kikka Holmberg April 19, 2026 Klami’s Violin Concerto Requiem was heard in the concert as a world premiere. This finely nuanced work, at times almost otherworldly in its beauty, received an airtight and highly charged interpretation from violinist Maria Puusaari and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Ruut Kiiski . Concert review, published on Simpukka Society website by Pirkko Heimonen April 22, 2026 Markku Klami’s Violin Concerto: A Requiem tells a personal story from a seven-year journey through childlessness. He hopes the work will offer comfort to others who have experienced involuntary childlessness. Violinist Maria Puusaari interprets the piece with great artistry together with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ruut Kiiski . The work is divided into three movements: De profundis (From the Depths), Alcheringa (Dreamtime), and Ad lucem (Toward the Light). Klami did not wish to give explicit listening instructions; instead, he encouraged listeners to focus on the emotions evoked by the music. He specified that the piece does not follow a particular theoretical framework, but is shaped by the emotions he experienced during his journey—from frustration to acceptance. At the beginning, one hears the rumble of thunder. The music surges with anger, frustration, and anxiety—perhaps even disbelief. There is a sense of escape, of running away from something. A rapid violin figure conveying dark emotional tones recurs throughout the work, especially in the first movement. The acoustics of the large hall carry all the nuances of the music clearly to the listener. The transition between the first and second movements is clearly perceptible. The music calms. Low, tranquil textures convey a deeply moving sorrow that resonates with the listener. A little later, a bubbling sense of hope emerges—like a spring stream and birdsong. At times, the music brings in mind film scores. One can hear hope flickering on and off. Toward the end, there is a gentle rocking motion, the mood perhaps cautiously serene. The third movement begins grandly. Once again, we find ourselves amid storm and surging emotions. At times, the work is open to interpretation. Does the now-calmer music express serenity or the fatigue of struggle? Those who have experienced childlessness may identify with the ebb and flow of emotions. The music rises, and a faster, more joyful tempo begins. If at the start one was running away from something, this feels like a springtime dash toward something. At the end, the same melancholy heard at the beginning returns, and the piece concludes with a deep sigh—acceptance? Markku Klami describes his feelings after the concert: “Expectations were high, and the violin soloist, the conductor, and the orchestra all gave a magnificent and deeply moving premiere. It will take time to process all of this, as many years of a journey were crystallized into that evening. I feel happy and grateful.” Concert review, published on Jälkikaikuja Korvakäytävillä by Jari Hoffrén April 23, 2026 Markku Klami's Violin Concerto: A Requiem has received more public attention than usual (including a lengthy interview with the composer on the Kulttuuritoimitus website) because of its subject: a composer who has struggled with long-term childlessness—so the program notes tell us—channeling his feelings into the concerto as a “personal therapeutic work.” The notion of a “therapeutic work” is itself a label that invites reflection; Gustav Mahler, at least, readily comes to mind as a candidate for composing such pieces. Markku Klami thus clearly defined both the starting points and the style of the concerto: when one wishes to convey comfort and hope, “certain stylistic devices of contemporary music are not particularly suited to that purpose”—what matters is a striving for “unashamed beauty.” (Possibly for this reason, the orchestration is economical: there are only three double basses, and even they remain silent for extended passages.) The concerto indeed unfolds in line with these premises as a listening experience in which the dramatic arc and contrasts are clearly mirrored on the emotional level, the texture remains easy to follow, and at times richly adorned with finely crafted, miniature-like details. Overall, the work breathes a delicate fragility, an alternation between hope and despair, while the solo part offers the violinist much to play; Maria Puusaari , a tireless interpreter of contemporary music, performed excellently. The rich continuum of Romantic tradition has thus gained another Finnish violin concerto—one that admirers of the style can certainly appreciate even without any knowledge of its background; in this sense, the work succeeds in touching on something broadly human. Concert review, published on Kompositio by Jari Kallio June 10, 2026 The gravitational center of the program was formed by two world premieres that were quite different in character, yet equally compelling in their own ways: Markku Klami’s deeply affecting Violin Concerto: Requiem (2023), commissioned by Maria Puusaari, and Matilda Seppälä’s The Moment We Notice Each Other (2026), which insightfully transcends the boundaries of traditional orchestral expression. Klami’s three-movement concerto, lasting nearly half an hour, resounded as a requiem for unborn life. Although the work’s extra-musical origins lie in a deeply personal process of grief, its musical logic functions as a compelling narrative in its own right, and familiarity with the background is by no means necessary to engage with the piece. At the center of the concerto stands a fully written-out cadenza that develops earlier material while introducing ideas that later come to the fore in the second half of the work. This concertante requiem does not seek to reinvent the genre; instead, it finds its own distinctive voice remarkably successfully within a traditional large-scale framework. Nor does Klami make a virtue of virtuosity, even though the solo part written for Puusaari is far from undemanding. The soloist, the [Tampere Philharmonic] orchestra, and conductor Ruut Kiiski delivered a premiere performance of the highest caliber. Composer's Notes My Violin Concerto is a Requiem to an unborn life. A deeply personal work for me, this concerto draws its inspiration from such profound personal experiences as unwanted infertility, and the experiences and thoughts that arose during this very difficult journey of dealing with unwanted childlessness. The music progresses from anger and frustration in the first movement, De profundis , to a dreamlike state in the second movement, Alcheringa* , where glimpses of hope emerge, only to disappear again. In the last movement, Ad lucem , the music embarks on a journey, trying to reach the light, reminding of one's need to hold on to hope. Violin Concerto: A Requiem was commissioned by Maria Puusaari and is dedicated to her. The commission was made possible with kind support from Madetoja Foundation and Teosto Commission Fund. *Alcheringa , an Arandic language term, refers to Australian Aboriginal beliefs of Dreaming, Dreamtime, or "Everywhen", a myth of creation and, in a larger context, a concept that embraces past, present and future. Another definition suggests that Dreaming represents how the relationships between people, animals, plants and the land came to be and how they need to be maintained. It is argued that the term itself is based on a misunderstanding or mistranslation, and that the closer meaning of Alcheringa could be "eternal" or "uncreated". < Back to Music

Flow String orchestra Composed: 2004 Watch / listen Sigyn Sinfonietta , cond. Markku Klami Live recording from Sigyn hall of Turku Conservatory of Music, March 5, 2005 Score / parts Music Finland Instrumentation and duration String orchestra (minimum: 8.6.5.4.2) Duration: 12 minutes Accolades Winner of the National Composing Competition of the Finnish Polytechnic Chamber Orchestra First performance Finnish Polytechnic Chamber Orchestra, cond. Atso Almila, Tampere Hall, Tampere, Finland, November 21, 2004 Reflections Concert review, published on Turun Sanomat by Tomi Norha March 7, 2005 The concert concluded with Flow by Markku Klami (b. 1979), which won first prize in the Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences composition competition last year. It’s hard to believe this is his first orchestral work — Klami clearly has a great deal of musical substance to share, and most importantly, the ability to shape that material into a coherent and natural form. Flow was full of edge, rhythmic and dramatic pull, and multidimensional textures. The major second motif and tremolos introduced at the beginning ensured cohesion, forming the foundation for a piece that lived up to its name, flowing seamlessly from one moment to the next. There wasn’t a dull moment, and the transitions were skillfully crafted. The harmony was tangy enough to be interesting, yet triads were not excluded. If anything could be further developed, it might be the rhythmic palette — adding even more variety and nuance. Still, by the time the opening motifs returned at the end, the journey felt fully convincing. < 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

Markku Klami's Fractured (Memoria II) released on Mari Mäntylä’s album Passing Shadows Jun 10, 2025 Featuring contemporary works for decacorde, the album is out now on Alba Records and includes new music by Tõnu Kõrvits, Markku Klami, René Eespere, Charlotte Bray, Juan Antonio Muro, Mari Sainio, Pekka Jalkanen — and Mari Mäntylä herself. The new album Passing Shadows , released by Alba Records on June 6, 2025, features Finnish decacordist Mari Mäntylä performing a compelling selection of contemporary works for decacorde, the ten-string guitar. Mäntylä, one of Finland’s most prominent performers on the instrument, is known for her broad-ranging concert activity in Finland and internationally, as well as her commitment to recording both classical repertoire and new music. The album includes Markku Klami's Fractured (Memoria II) , commissioned by and dedicated to Mäntylä. This introspective and texturally layered work explores themes of fragmentation and memory through the extended possibilities of the decacorde. Alongside Klami, the album features works by Tõnu Kõrvits, René Eespere, Charlotte Bray, Juan Antonio Muro, Mari Sainio, Pekka Jalkanen , and Mari Mäntylä herself, who contributes one of the album’s original works. Passing Shadows offers listeners a richly varied and deeply expressive journey into the contemporary sound world of the decacorde. The album is available for purchase through Alba Records’ website and can be streamed on all major digital platforms. < Back to News

Markku Klami's into the deep peace released on Audite chamber choir's album Voices of Earth May 20, 2026 Audite Chamber Choir’s new album Voices of Earth features six environmentally themed works, all commissioned for the choir’s 30th anniversary season. Released on 24 May 2026 by Alba Records , Voices of Earth is the new album by Audite Chamber Choir, conducted by choir's former artistic director Jani Sivén . The album features six environmentally themed works commissioned for the choir’s 30th anniversary season, exploring the relationship between humanity and nature from a wide range of perspectives. The recording is available both as a CD and on major streaming platforms. A particularly distinctive aspect of the album is that the featured composers are all singers within the choir itself: Alex Freeman, Anna Huuskonen, Markku Klami, Finn Shields , and Matthew Whittall . The album also includes a work by the choir’s former artistic director, Jani Sivén. Klami's contribution to the album, into the deep peace , is written for mixed choir and draws its inspiration from the ancient trees of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. The work is based on selections from John Muir’s travel memoir My First Summer in the Sierra and was commissioned by Audite Chamber Choir for its 30th anniversary. The piece was inspired in part by Klami's memories of his honeymoon trip with his wife to California and Nevada in 2018, particularly a visit to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Encountering the giant sequoias — among the oldest and largest living trees on Earth — left a profound impression on Klami. For him, standing among these ancient giants, some over 3,000 years old, created an overwhelming sense of timelessness, humility and peace. The title into the deep peace is derived from a passage in Muir’s diary dated 11 July 1869: “Sauntered up the meadow about sundown, out of sight of camp and sheep and all human mark, into the deep peace of the solemn old woods…” The work is dedicated to Audite Chamber Choir and Jani Sivén. Recording, editing, mastering and producing: Marion Schwebel Album cover photo: Jan Viljanen / Just Visual Album cover design: Pauliina Ilonoja < Back to News

World premiere of Markku Klami's Fractured (Memoria II) given by decacordist Mari Mäntylä Jan 28, 2025 Mari Mäntylä, the leading Finnish decacordist, will give the world premiere performance of Markku Klami's recent work, Fractured (Memoria II), at Kuhmo Arts Centre's Lentua hall in Kuhmo on January 30, 2025. Mari Mäntylä, the leading Finnish decacordist, will give the world premiere performance of Markku Klami's recent work, Fractured (Memoria II) , at Kuhmo Arts Centre's Lentua hall in Kuhmo on January 30, 2025. Fractured (Memoria II) is a reworked, or extended version of Klami's Etude No. 2: Memoria (Remembrance) from Etudes for guitar cycle, written for Patrik Kleemola between 2020 and 2021 and published by Edition Wilhelm Hansen in 2021. The idea for an extended version with new musical material, also making use of decacorde's extended bass register, was proposed to Klami by decacordist Mari Mäntylä in 2024. While the original Memoria from Etudes for guitar 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 in the middle passage of the piece, is based on the series of arpeggios and rich use of harmonics, to be interpreted freely and with continuous rubato manner. Fractured (Memoria II) was commissioned by Mari Mäntylä, and is dedicated to her. < Back to News

Victory over violence – Why I became a composer and the story behind composing Göreme Feb 25, 2019 Markku Klami's Göreme released on streaming platforms Göreme for guitar and electronics has just been released on Spotify and other streaming platforms. For the first time ever, I will publicly tell the rough story of why I became a composer and the sources of inspiration for composing Göreme. Göreme was written for guitarist Patrik Kleemola back in 2009. Having collaborated with him since the early 2000’s, we came up with an idea to combine the sound of a classical guitar with electronic soundscapes. While having a background in electronic music since my teenage years in 1990’s, I had for years concentrated in composing for acoustic instruments and ensembles. Bringing together these two sonic worlds felt intriguing so I was delighted to work on this project. Since its first performances given by Kleemola in Helsinki and Milan in September and October 2009, I have been delighted to witness Göreme being performed – in addition to several performances by Kleemola – by guitarist including Petrit Çeku and Kimmo Rahunen at various festivals and events around Europe, including Zagreb Music Biennale, REBUS Festival, Festival Muzyki Nowej and Turku Guitar Festival. During the composition process of Göreme I was strongly affected by the landscapes and history of Göreme region in Cappadocia, Turkey. The region might be first settled back in the Hittite era between 1800 and 1200 BC. The vast underground buildings carved in stone over the course of several centuries have served as an asylum for people of many cultural backgrounds, escaping from turmoil and oppression. The touching history of the region with its countless stories over the course of several thousands of years made a strong impact on me. Why did this all resonate with me in such a fundamental way? How did a person from somewhat different cultural background and era feel so deeply connected to the turmoil and oppression witnessed in the Göreme region so long time ago? When I think of the history of humanity, one recurring feature throughout the times is, sadly, the ongoing presence of violence in our lives. At some stage in our lives, in a way or another we all encounter violence, be it physical, non-physical, structural or everyday violence. Violence is tightly woven together with power. Whatever the context, whenever power is in jeopardy, violence is bound to appear. Violence is a sign of weakness and fear. Looking back at the time I was composing Göreme, I was going through a rough time (or, to be honest, one of the rough phrases) in my life. On the surface, things probably seemed to be going quite well – I was finishing up my composition studies at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and eventually graduated a year later, I had (and still have) good friends around me, and I had decent possibilities to concentrate on my strongest passion, composing music. However, I also had to struggle with my personal history that still had a hold on me. Having been a victim of violence in its many forms – physical, non-physical and structural – for the most of my life, I was struggling with devastating feelings of fear, shame, incompetence, lack of vision and insecurity, to name a few. The physical violence I have suffered from since my early childhood for well over a decade, has been life-threatening at its worst. It has recently come to my attention that it is very likely that the violence in question has even resulted in certain permanent injuries. The non-physical violence coming my way was aimed to break my self-esteem and personality. Having lived under this oppression and turmoil, I dare to say I had the ability at least to some extent to relate with the stories and history of Göreme region. The first page of the score of Göreme Violence affects everyone’s lives in one way or another. We can’t escape it. Having experienced it in the hard way myself and still continuing to survive from it, I would like to say that even though violence can destroy lives, it is possible to get out. Whether you are a victim of violence, perpetrator of violent acts or merely a bystander, violence will always have some kind of part in your life. So, I would say it is of utmost importance to learn to live and love life itself despite the omnipresence of violence. It might be easy to close your eyes from it, especially in the case of structural violence found in pretty much any given society in this world. The tricky feature about violence is that in addition to the devastating and horrible effects it has on the lives of the victims, there’s always someone benefiting from it. This is very much the case, especially with the structural violence which appears to be predominantly invisible even in our modern societies. Since violence is in very close connection to power, many people usually on the higher levels of the society benefit from the ongoing oppression. It is vital in their quest for holding on to their power. The fear of losing the power and status you have in the society might make it very easy to close your eyes. Around the time I was composing Göreme, I was very lucky to have a couple of good friends and music in my life. Previously in my life during the hardest times lasting for several years, I had no one to trust, no one to speak to. As cliche as it might sound, I felt totally alone in the world. Luckily enough, even then I had the chance to escape into the world of music. It somehow kept me going and nowadays my life is what I have been wishing it to be. However, that violence I experienced is still very much with me in my life. The feelings of insecurity and incompetence, among others, have never gone away, although I slowly seem to get better at dealing with them. Those feelings don’t control or define me anymore. I’m still in the middle of a healing process and will continue to be for the rest of my life. I am very happy that the basis for my healing is better now than ever before. When asked ”how or why did you became a composer”, I have answered by telling how music has always been in my life and composing has been a calling for me since my early years. While this is totally true, never before I have had the courage to publicly tell about my history and how music has not only been the driving force in my life but also a way to survive through life. When I compose, these aforementioned and other fundamental questions about life, humanity, our existence and experiences of time and world around us come into my mind in a way or another. They always affect the music I deliver into this world. Composing is a vital part of my personal healing process. This is why Göreme holds a special place in my heart, as it was written during the time of turmoil in my life. It kept me going. The transition between the 3rd and 4th movement The names of the four movements of Göreme, entitled ”The Dark Hallway”, ”The Abyss”, ”The Mirror” and ”Away” represent the thoughts and feelings I went through during the composition process. My aim for the dialogue of guitar and electronics was to represent the ever ongoing process between harmony and chaos in the world. From the rough and dark beginning, the music gradually ascends away from the turmoil, still reminding of its existence in the aggressive and loud outburst from the electronic part in the third movement ”The Mirror” before slowly fading away in the last movement. This version of Göreme is a live recording of a performance by Patrik Kleemola on May 20, 2010 at Sigyn hall of Turku Conservatory of Music in Turku, Finland. Hopefully we will get to do a studio recording of Göreme soon. < Back to News

Markku Klami's Elegia nominated to the 68th International Rostrum of Composers Jun 4, 2022 The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) recently nominated Markku Klami's Elegia to the poems by Katja Klami to this year’s International Rostrum of Composers, organized by the International Music Council. The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) recently nominated Markku Klami's Elegia to the poems by Katja Klami to this year’s International Rostrum of Composers , organized by the International Music Council . The Rostrum was held in Palermo, Italy from May 31 until June 3, 2022. Markku Klami represented contemporary Finnish music together with his colleague Jarkko Hartikainen in this year's Rostrum. The subjects of the Katja Klami's poems focus on human destinies, especially resignation and loss. The three poems, ”Minä kuvittelin sinulle elämän” (I imagined a life for you), ”Hiipuen” (Fading) and ”Palava maa” (The burning earth) , focus on unwanted infertility, the caregiver experiences of memory-impaired patients, and human actions resulting in climate change and global conflicts. The titles of the poems are echoed in the titles of Elegia's three movements. Elegia , performed by soprano Tuiki Järvensivu and TampereRaw ensemble, was recorded by the Finnish Broadcasting Company in connection with the premiere performance of the work at the Tampere Biennale festival in April. Elegia was commissioned by Tampere Biennale and written with support from The Arts Promotion Centre Finland and The Sibelius Fund. < Back to News

September premieres with Lauri Sallinen & Seinäjoki City Orchestra and Patrik Kleemola Sep 10, 2021 Lauri Sallinen premieres Markku Klami's Clair for clarinet and large ensemble with the Seinäjoki City Orchestra on September 16, 2021. Patrik Kleemola releases weekly premieres of Klami's Etudes for guitar on his YouTube channel on Mondays from September 27 until November 29, 2021. Rondo Classic interviewed Klami for their September 2021 issue of the magazine. Lauri Sallinen premieres Markku Klami's Clair for clarinet and large ensemble with the Seinäjoki City Orchestra on September 16, 2021. Patrik Kleemola releases weekly premieres of Klami's Etudes for guitar on his YouTube channel on Mondays from September 27 until November 29, 2021. Rondo Classic interviewed Klami for their September 2021 issue of the magazine. Originally planned for January 2021, the premiere of Klami's Clair for clarinet and large ensemble was postponed to September due to the pandemic situation. Lauri Sallinen will perform the clarinet solo and lead the musicians of the Seinäjoki City Orchestra in the premiere on September 16, 2021 in Seinäjoki, Finland. Etudes for guitar, a project long in the making is finally getting its YouTube premiere, where Patrik Kleemola will release video recordings of each 10 etudes coupled with discussion videos with Markku Klami. In the discussion videos, Kleemola and Klami talk about the pedagogical and musical aspects of each etude. This makes it possible for the audience to get a glimpse of the collaboration between the musician and composer, something that usually is not very visible to a broader audience. The premiere series of Etudes will run on Kleemola's YouTube channel every Monday beginning on September 27 and closing on November 29, 2021. The videos continue to be accessible on Kleemola's YouTube channel after the premiere period. Journalist Kimmo Korhonen interviewed Klami about the two works in question and their premieres and about his thoughts on composing in general. The interview, in Finnish, was published on the September 2021 issue of Rondo Classic magazine, the biggest monthly magazine in Finland with a focus on classical and contemporary music scene. The interview is accessible here: https://rondolehti.fi/rondo-lehti/kantaesitys/klamin-uutuudet-klarinetille-ja-kitaralle/ < Back to News