Monthly Archives: April 2015

Third International Sibelius Singing Competition: The Winners

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Aarne Pelkonen (Photo: © Heikki Tuuli)
Aarne Pelkonen (Photo: © Heikki Tuuli)

The Finnish baritone Aarne Pelkonen has won the Third International Sibelius Singing Competition in Järvenpää, Finland. The Finnish mezzo-soprano Erica Back won the second prize and the Finnish soprano Hanna Rantala the third prize.

First prize is worth €12,000, second prize €6,000 and third prize €3,000. The winner will be invited to appear with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2015–16 season, and the special prize – a Lied recital at the Lahti Sibelius Festival on 6th September 2015 – was awarded to Erica Back.

The Classical Music Department of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) awarded the Yle Prize, an invitation to make a recording for Yle, to Aarne Pelkonen. The Sibelius family gave a special prize for the best non-Finnish interpretation: the volumes of  solo songs in the ‘Jean Sibelius Works’ critical edition. This was awarded to the Estonian mezzo-soprano Tuuri Dede.

www.sibeliussinging.fi

Source: Press Release, Third International Sibelius Singing Competition

Third International Sibelius Singing Competition: Finalists

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The Jury has selected six competitors for the finals in the Third International Sibelius Singing Competition in Järvenpää, Finland. The singers continuing in the competition are

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Erica Back, mezzo-soprano, Finland

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Tuuri Dede, mezzo-soprano, Estonia

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Sanna Matinniemi, soprano, Finland

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Aarne Pelkonen, baritone, Finland

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Hanna Rantala, soprano, Finland

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Artur Rozek, baritone, Poland

All photos © Heikki Tuuli

The finals will be held at the Järvenpää Hall at 7 pm on Saturday 25th April.

First prize is worth €12,000, second prize €6,000 and third prize €3,000. The winner will be invited to appear with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2015–16 season, and a special prize will be awarded in the form of a Lied recital at the Lahti Sibelius Festival on 6th September 2015.

Yle Radio 1 will be broadcasting the finals of the competition live. The finals will also be streamed live at www.yle.fi/klassinen. Video recordings of the preliminary round and semi-finals are posted on the competition website during the competition week.

Tickets from Lippupiste outlets

Further information:
Terhi Luukkonen, Secretary General
Tel. +358 40 710 4368
terhi.luukkonen@uniarts.fi
www.sibeliussinging.fi

Source: Press release 25/3/2015

Sibelius at the BBC Proms 2015

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Programmes for the BBC Proms 2015 have been announced.

Works by Sibelius at this year’s Proms are Belshazzar’s Feast (BBCSO/Oramo, at the First Night), all seven symphonies (Nos 1 & 2: BBC Scottish SO/Dausgaard; Nos 3 & 4: BBC Scottish SO/Volkov; Nos 5, 6 & 7: BBCSO/Vänskä), the Violin Concerto (Julian Rachlin/BBC Scottish SO/Volkov), Tapiola (BBCSO/Oramo), En saga and Kullervo (Rusanen-Kartano, Torikka, Polytech Choir, BBCSO/Oramo).

Full information about the concerts and tickets bookings: click here.

Third International Sibelius Singing Competition: Semi-finalists

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semis-wwwSome of the semi-finalists. From left to right:
Katariina Heikkilä / Sanna Matinniemi / Laura Mäkitalo / Hannakaisa Nyrönen /
Elisabet Petsalo / Hanna Rantala / Artur Rozek
Photos: © Heikki Tuuli

The Jury has selected 13 competitors for the Semi-Finals of the Third International Sibelius Singing Competition in Järvenpää, Finland. The singers continuing in the competition are:

Erica Back, mezzo-soprano, Finland
Tuuri Dede, mezzo-soprano, Estonia
Katariina Heikkilä, mezzo-soprano, Finland
Sanna Matinniemi, soprano, Finland
Laura Mäkitalo, mezzo-soprano, Finland
Hannakaisa Nyrönen, soprano, Finland
Robert Näse, baritone, Finland
Aarne Pelkonen, baritone, Finland
Anna-Maija Perttunen, soprano, Finland
Elisabet Petsalo, mezzo-soprano, Finland
Hanna Rantala, soprano, Finland
Artur Rozek, baritone, Poland
Elli Vallinoja, soprano, Finland

The semi-finals will be held on 23rd–24th April at the Järvenpää Hall. A detailed schedule is available on the competition website www.sibeliussinging.fi. The competitors selected for the finals will be announced on Friday 24th April.

The five members of the Jury are pianist Gustav Djupsjöbacka, mezzo-soprano Monica Groop, Danish soprano Inger Dam-Jensen, German baritone Andreas Schmidt and Swedish baritone Olle Persson.

First prize is worth €12,000, second prize €6,000 and third prize €3,000. The winner will be invited to appear with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2015–16 season, and a special prize will be awarded in the form of a Lied recital at the Lahti Sibelius Festival on 6th September 2015.

Yle Radio 1 will be broadcasting the finals of the competition live. The finals will also be streamed live at www.yle.fi/klassinen. Video recordings of the preliminary round and semi-finals are posted on the competition website during the competition week.

Tickets from Lippupiste outlets

Further information:
Terhi Luukkonen, Secretary General
Tel. +358 40 710 4368
terhi.luukkonen@uniarts.fi
www.sibeliussinging.fi

Source: Press release 22/3/2015

Aino Sibelius Exhibition in Järvenpää

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Järvenpää Art Museum is organizing the first ever exhibition about Jean Sibelius’s wife, Aino Sibelius. The exhibition runs from 1st March to 4th October 2015.

This unique exhibition tells the story of Aino Sibelius and highlights her significance for the art of Jean Sibelius. The exhibition displays personal items that belonged to Aino (most of them never revealed before), some of Aino’s handcrafts and interior designs, photographs, art and audiovisual material.

The exhibition brings out the meaning of family and home as an inspiration and support for artistic work. The role of women in taking care of everyday tasks was significant in the artist community of Lake Tuusula.

The music of Sibelius and his peaceful working environment meant everything to Aino. There was strength, incorruptibility and idealism in her character. ‘Write symphonies!’ she encouraged Sibelius even amid financial troubles. The garden was a great refreshment and a subject for constant care for Aino Sibelius. The garden’s floral splendour was a delight for her, its vegetables were food for the family, and her apples won awards.

More information about Aino Sibelius (© Järvenpää Art Museum): click here.

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Venue:
Järvenpää Art Museum, Kirjastokatu 8, FIN-04400 Järvenpää, Finland

Opening hours:
March-April: Wed-Sun 10–17
May-October: Tue-Sun 11–18

Admission fees
Adults €6 / OAPs €5 / Children, students, unemployed €2

Information and guided tour bookings
Phone: +358 40 315 3881 / e-mail taidemuseo@jarvenpaa.fi
Website and further info here.
Guided tours can be arranged in English.

Source and photo copyrights: © Järvenpää Art Museum

Festival ‘Sibelius – Golfo del Tigullio’, Italy

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Summer view of Rapallo (Panorama estivo di Rapallo, Liguria, Italia), 2008. Photo: © Davide Papalini / ShareAlike 3.0
Summer view of Rapallo (Panorama estivo di Rapallo, Liguria, Italia), 2008. Photo: © Davide Papalini / ShareAlike 3.0

A Sibelius Festival is being arranged in ‘Golfo del Tigullio’ (Liguria, Italy), in October 2015.

The festival celebrates the 150th anniversary of Sibelius’s birth and is organized in collaboration with the Amministrazioni Comunali of Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Recco, and supported by the Embassy of Finland in Rome.

Sibelius and his family visited Rapallo in early 1901, and while there he worked on his Second Symphony.

Website: click here.

 

 

Sibelius Singing Competition 2015

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The Third International Sibelius Singing Competition is to be held in Järvenpää on 19th–25th April 2015. It is open to singers aged 35 or less from countries around the Baltic Sea and there is one single category for men and women. The competitors will sing solo songs by Sibelius and other Lieder with piano accompaniment. The competition also offers a chance to hear some less frequently performed Sibelius songs: the competitors have chosen no fewer than 61 of his songs from 16 different opus groups.

A panel appointed by the Competition Committee has selected 26 singers for the competition: 20 Finns, two Poles, two Estonians, one Swede and one Dane. The official pianists are Kristian Attila, Hans-Otto Ehrström, Tuula Hällström and Ilmari Räikkönen. The five members of the Jury are pianist Gustav Djupsjöbacka, mezzo-soprano Monica Groop, Danish soprano Inger Dam-Jensen, German baritone Andreas Schmidt and Swedish baritone Olle Persson.

First prize is worth €12,000, second prize €6,000 and third prize €3,000. The winner will be invited to appear with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2015/2016 season, and a special prize will be awarded in the form of a Lied recital at the Lahti Sibelius Festival on 6th September 2015.

Yle Radio 1 will be broadcasting the finals of the competition live on Saturday 25th April. The finals will also be streamed live at www.yle.fi/klassinen. Video recordings of the preliminary round and semi-finals will be posted on the competition website during the competition week.

Previous International Sibelius Singing Competitions have been held in 2007 and 2011. The winner of the 2007 competition was mezzo-soprano Annastiina Tahkola, and that of the 2011 competition soprano Hedvig Paulig. The Sibelius Singing Competition is organised by the Järvenpää Sibelius Weeks in partnership with the City of Järvenpää and the Sibelius Academy.

Third International Sibelius Singing Competition at the Järvenpää Hall
Opening ceremony and draw for the order of performance in the Juhani Aho Hall at 19.00 on Sunday 19th April
Preliminary round in the Sibelius Hall at 16.00 and 19.00 on Monday–Wednesday 20th–22nd April
Semi-finals in the Sibelius Hall at 17.00 and 19.00 on Thursday–Friday 23rd–24th April
Finals in the Sibelius Hall at 19.00 on Saturday 25th April
Tickets from Lippupiste outlets

Further information:
Terhi Luukkonen, Secretary General
Tel. +358-40-710 4368
terhi.luukkonen@uniarts.fi
www.sibeliussinging.fi

Source: Press release, 9th April 2015, Third International Sibelius Singing Competition

Anglo-Finnish Society Spring Concert

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In the presence of H.E. the Ambassador of Finland and Mrs Huhtaniemi
Sunday 26th April 2015, at 4 pm
St Mark’s Church, Hamilton Terrace, London NW8 9UT

Laura Mikkola, piano · Tuomas Ylinen, cello

Programme:
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus, Concerto for Birds and Orchestra
Piano arrangement by Peter Lönnqvist
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 3 in A major for Cello and Piano, Op. 69
Jean Sibelius: Malinconia, Op. 20
Johannes Brahms: Sonata in E minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 38

Tickets
Advance purchase internet price: £10 for adults, £5 for children under 18 and full-time students under 25.
Tickets can be purchased at https://eventbrite.co.uk/event/16088486095. Booking fee applies.
Cash on the door: £12 for adults, £5 for children under 18 and full-time students under 25.
www.anglofinnishsociety.org.uk

With the kind support of Finland Society (Suomi-Seura) and the Embassy of Finland

Click here for more information

Sibelius on original instruments

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Photo: © Sibelius One
Photo: © Sibelius One

 

A CD of Sibelius’s works for violin and piano and songs has been recorded at his home, Ainola, using the composer’s own violin and his own Steinway piano.

The recording features Satu Jalas (Sibelius’s granddaughter), violin, Lilli Paasikivi, soprano, and Folke Gräsbeck, piano.

The programme features a generous selection of Sibelius’s most popular works in these genres including the Romance in F major and Rondino for violin and piano, and songs such as Våren flyktar hastigt, Svarta rosor and Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte.

The CD will be released by the Ainola Foundation in June 2015. Further information will be published later.

Folke Gråsbeck has also recently recorded a Sibelius solo piano CD on the Ainola Steinway for BIS Records (BIS-2132).