Jean Sibelius THE FINNISH AMERICAN HERITAGE SOCIETY

of Canterbury, CT The beloved Finnish composer Jean Sibelius was born in 1865 in what is now presents

Finland, but at the time was “The Grand Duchy of Finland," ruled by Czar Alexander of Russia. SIBELIUS at 150 His early compositions, beginning in the 1890’s, celebrated Finnishness with tone poems based Sunday, May 17, 2015 on the Kalevala, the Finnish National Epic, and the natural beauty of Finland. These compositions, including his most famous, Craig Randal Johnson Finlandia, have been important in the Mr. Johnson is a Minneapolis based development of the Finnish national identity, as pianist and conductor who specializes in Finland emerged from years of Russian Finnish and American music. As a pianist he oppression to become the symbol of freedom has performed as Finlandia Foundation’s and resilience it is today. “Performer of the Year." He has also played His extensive body of work includes solo recitals in Finland, Germany, and in cities a cycle of seven symphonies and his Violin throughout the United States, including St. Concerto in D minor, the most recorded violin Paul, New York, Los Angeles, Hartford, Iowa concerto of the 20th century. In addition to these City, and Tucson. He has conducted several larger orchestral pieces, Sibelius is appreciated premieres of Finnish orchestral works, as well as for his compositions for the piano as an the United States premiere of Jukka Linkola’s accompanying or solo instrument. Jean opera, "Rockland," for Michigan's Pine Sibelius’s music is appreciated and loved world- Mountain Music Festival. wide and will surely be heard in numerous Mr. Johnson holds degrees from the A Solo Piano Recital concert halls in 2015, his 150th Anniversary year. University of Minnesota (BA) and Northwestern featuring Craig Randal Johnson The Finnish American Heritage Society University (MM). His piano teachers included of Canterbury, CT, is pleased to present a and celebrating the Bernhard Weiser and James Douglas Johnson. program of Sibelius's solo piano compositions th 150 Anniversary performed by Craig Randal Johnson. The program will also include arrangements for of Finnish Composer piano of Sibelius’s popular orchestral works, Valse Triste and Finlandia and pieces by Jean Sibelius his disciples, Leevi Madetoja and Einojuhani Rautavaara. (1865 - 1957)