Finlandia Foundation ® National

Inspiring, celebrating and connecting the Finnish-American community since 1953

Ruusamari Teppo The Music of Sibelius with a Personal Connection Ruusamari Teppo

inlandia Foundation National (FFN), the premier network of F Finnish-American organizations in the United States, is proud to present performances by pianist Ruusamari Teppo.

eppo has both a direct Ruusamari Teppo began compositional style for piano T family connection and playing piano in Finland at the by Jean Sibelius. a connection through her age of five. After graduating In recent years she has doctoral work to Finland’s from Sibelius High School, performed as a soloist, beloved composer, Jean she studied in Paris with a chamber musician and Sibelius. While listening to world-renowned pedagogue, collaborative pianist, in the her play the music of her professor Konstantin Bogino. United States, throughout great-great-grandfather, She earned artist certificates Europe and in South Africa. listeners can sense her deep from music schools in Prague She is a prize-winner in and personal connection and Budapest, funded by the Bradshaw and Buono with his music. scholarships from the International Piano Finnish government. Although she never had the Competition and the Petrof opportunity to meet the he continued her studies Piano Competition, and has great composer, her mother, S at the University of North participated in music festivals who was 16 years old when Texas with Vladimir Viardo, around the globe. Sibelius died, has shared a Van Cliburn International hroughout 2019 and 2020, memories of him with Piano Competition first Teppo is traveling to FFN her daughter. prize winner. In 2020 Teppo T chapters to perform a choice will complete her doctoral of two programs. degree in collaborative continued piano researching the “Sibelius at the Piano” “Sibelius’ Music concert of his most with Children” A well-known music eppo enjoys presenting accompanied by personal T concerts designed for stories and information to children, developed with her help listeners understand four-year-old daughter. With the development of the children sitting around her, composer’s musical style. Teppo plays music and talks about Sibelius, including the Teppo also has access to music he wrote for his own the series of letters Jean and children. Aino Sibelius wrote to each other, some of which have She also presents music been translated into English workshops, telling stories and and may be included in her coaching children who bring program. their own instruments and play easy music together.

Finlandia grants and Foundation programs National, the supporting and most important celebrating source of support Finnish heritage for Finnish and Finnish- culture in the American culture U.S., was founded and traditions, in Pasadena, and contemporary California in 1953. Finland and FFN administers Finnish America. scholarships,

FFN is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information: FinlandiaFoundation.org Finlandia Foundation National P.O. Box 92046 Pasadena, CA 91109-2046 Please contact the FFN office for more information: Phone: 626.795.2081 Email: [email protected]