Hakola’s Piano Concerto is painted with abroad times they coalesce into themes, even statements, competition in Zurich in summer 2000. He was the went on to study with Erik T. Tawaststjerna at the KimmoHakola (b. 1958) brush, with virtuoso brilliance and power,defiance appearing in different guises throughout the work, Finland Festivals Young Artistofthe Year in 1996, and Sibelius Academy in 1989. He studied with Professor John Storgårds PianoConcerto and sparkle, grand emotions and humour.Its nine but they are always identifiable; they are like musical the Mozart Society in Dortmund nominated him Artist Pavel Gililov at the Cologne University of Music, and movements have musically descriptive titles: Furioso family members, if you will. It’s my picture gallery.” of the Year forthe season 2001-2002. also with Lazar Berman at the Liszt School of Music John Storgårds (b. 1963) is one of the mostversatile L’Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI Torino, Sinfonietta -Capriccio -Forza -Toccata -Fuoco -Cadenza - Weimar in 1995-1997. Alongside his career as asolo- and respected Finnish musicians of his generation. Ensemble Intercontemporain and atour with the New Maestoso -Triste -Lux. Each movement brings its In the Sinfonietta (2000), one of these family Henri Sigfridsson studied the piano with Sävy ist, he is artistic director of the concert series at the An internationally acclaimed conductor and much Zealand Symphony. The Piano Concerto(1996) is in many ways akey premiere was cancelled, however,and the work took own dimension to the whole, yetthe work is more membersisdominant: afanatical, relentless virtuoso Nordgrén at the Turku Conservatory from 1985 and Wäinö Aaltonen Museum in Turku, Finland. celebrated violinist, he is an eager performer and work in Kimmo Hakola’soutput. It is like an observa- several yearsfurther to complete. This was partly than justastring of character pieces: it is acoherent energy of furious proportions. The work plunges champion of newand rarely heard works alongside John Storgårds has made anumber of prestigious Kimmo Hakola (b. 1958) tion terrace affordingaviewofboth his earlier and due to the heightened self-criticism of the composer, entity whose movements share material. The cadenza forward like awounded, demented musical monster. more familiar repertoire. Acreative flair forprogram- recordings forOndine, both as violinistoras his later works. It encapsulates many of the essential caused by the whirlwind success of his early works. is like aportrait of apianistinahouse of mirrors, The dynamics are forte almostthroughout, and the TheTampere ming is becoming his hallmark worldwide. conductor,including Peteris Vasks’ Violin Concerto PIANO CONCERTO (1996) 56:14 features of his music. Moreover,its genesis says alot Hakola wrote very little music at all in the early by turns cavorting along the Cmajor scale, making intensity seems overheated almostall the time. Nev- “Distant Light” and the Second Symphony,which won 1 IFurioso 5:01 about his personality as acomposer and the inner 1990s. adetour into jazz, and finally shredding itself in a ertheless, this is not an uncontrolled rant. It has its PhilharmonicOrchestra Storgårds is ChiefConductor of the Helsinki Philhar- the much coveted Cannes Classical Disc of the Year 2 II Capricci 10:45 struggles acomposer sometimes has to face. parody of the tangles of Serialistmusic. pauses, albeit short ones. Also, its textures contain monic Orchestra, taking up the postfromthe 2008/09 Award in 2004 (ODE 1005-2). Further highlights of his 3 III Forza 1:59 When the long-awaited Piano Concerto was finally clearly defined, wedge-like counter-movements and The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, comprising 97 larly appearsatthe Tampere Biennale contemporary season. He additionally holds the title of Chief discography include Kaija Saariaho’s Violin Concerto Hakola made his breakthrough with his First String premiered at the Helsinki Festival in August1996, it In the nine movements of his Piano Concerto, Hakola an obvious hierarchy of rhythm. The fieriestrhythmic musicians, is one of Scandinavia’s foremostsymphony music festival. The orchestra has toured Scandinavia, Conductor with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra “Graal théâtre” (ODE 997-2) and adisc with music by 4 IV Toccata 2:20 Quartet(1986). This is awork firmly linked to the was ahuge success as well as ahuge surprise. Even leans towards avariety of different kinds of music, figures are given to the strings, while the brass have orchestras. Estonia, Germany,the Netherlands, Spain and the USA. (until the end of the 2008/09 season) and Artistic John Corigliano (ODE 1039-2). 5 VFuoco 4:57 wave of Modernism that refreshed the musical scene its sheer size was startling: castinnine movements, clearly defined moods and textures. He has continued the slowestutterances. Its educational outreach projects and other events Director of the Chamber Orchestra of Lapland (ongoing 6 VI Cadenza 4:46 in Finland in the 1980s. The intense dramaturgy of it clocks in at amonumental 55 minutes. At least along these lines in many of his subsequent works As from August2006 onward the newChiefConduc- forkids and teens are one of its strong points: the since 1996). Besides these tenures, John Storgårds Born in Finland in 1963, John Storgårds began playing 7 VII Maestoso 11:49 the quartetdid not go unnoticed; Hakola won first as impressive, however,was the stylistic range of too, observing that there are “always the same Kimmo Korhonen tor of the orchestra is the Finnish conductor John Tampere Philharmonic is the first orchestra in Finland works regularly with all major Finnish orchestras and the violin at an early age. He studied with Esther 8 VIII Triste 7:02 place at the distinguished UNESCO composers’ rostrum the work, extending from energetic Modernism to modes of expression, adozen or so of them. Some- Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi Storgårds. August2009 he will be followed by Hannu to establish aclub foryoung listeners. the Finnish National Opera. Raitio and Jouko Ignatius at the Sibelius Academy in in the category of composersunder the age of 30. grandiose, voluptuous Romantic gestures and stylized Lintu, the newChiefConductor.Storgårds’ predecessor, Helsinki, and then with Chaim Taub in Israel. Having 9 IX Lux 7:35 Five yearslater,herepeated the achievement in the ethnic materials. This eclecticism, which first appeared the Estonian Eri Klas, is Conductor Laureate and Jouni The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra has recorded Since his conducting début in 1996, John Storgårds played professionally under the baton of many Kimmo PIANO 10 Sinfonietta (1999) 13:59 general category with Capriole (1991) forclarinet in Capriole,has since become afirmly established HenriSigfridsson Kaipainen acts as Composer-in-Residence. Other Chief more than 40 CDs forthe Ondine label with conduc- has performed extensively both at home and abroad. world-class conductors, he was inspired to take up and cello. This latter work became aturning point in hallmark of Hakola’s later output. The Piano Concerto Conductorshave been Tuomas Ollila, Leonid Grin, Ari torssuch as John Storgårds, Hannu Lintu, Eri Klas, Highlights have included concerts with the BBC conducting and returned to the Sibelius Academy from Hakola CONCERTO his career,anemergence into abroader horizon of ex- proved to be akey work in his output in that it Henri Sigfridsson (b. 1974) is aFinnish pianistwhose tion in Bonn in 2005, where he won first prize, the Rasilainen, Atso Almila, Paavo Rautio, Juhani Raiskinen Tuomas Ollila and Leif Segerstam, featuring works by Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic 1993–97 to study with Jorma Panula and Eri Klas. (70:27) pression, symbolized by the strand of Mongolian folk released his creative energies. Since then, there has career to date has included performances in central audience prize and the prize forbestperformance and EeroKosonen. Einar Englund, Peteris Vasks, Alma Mahler,Leo Brou- Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, John Storgårds received the Finnish State Prize for Henri Sigfridsson music which makes awholly unexpected appearance been no holding him back, and he has been writing Europe and Japan. He was appointed avisiting of chamber music. In 2004, he placed second at the wer and John Corigliano, to name but afew.Many Orchestre National de Belgique, Frankfurt Radio Music in 2002. Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra within the Modernisttexture. extensive works at an exhausting pace: three operas, Professor at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Maria Callas Grand Prix in Athens. His earlier achieve- The orchestra is based at Tampere Hall, which was of these have received excellent reviews and awards, Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, an oratorio entitled Le Sacrifice,several orchestral in Graz in Austria from spring 2008. ments include first prize at the International Franz built in 1990 and is the largestconcert hall in Finland. such as the Cannes Classical Disc of the Year Award John Storgårds At the time of writing Capriole,Hakola was already works and concertos, and chamber music, solo Liszt Piano Competition in Weimar in 1994 and at the Each year,the orchestra has aseries of symphonic 2004 (for Vasks’s Second Symphony) and atotal of Henri Sigfridsson, piano sketching out his Piano Concerto. The first announce- instrumental music and vocal music to boot. Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra Henri Sigfridsson has enjoyed success in international Nordic SoloistCompetition in 1995, and second prize concerts