Academy Winds: Revelations and Magic Birds

Academy Winds ensemble performs together with Aleksanteri Wallius

The Academy Winds concert opens with Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Concerto for Winds – a treasure trove of ideas that we received permission to perform from the composer’s spouse. The piece has not been performed since its world premiere in 1950.

The second piece will be another work by Rautavaara, the rarely-heard organ concerto Annunciations (1976). This piece brings together Musiikkitalo’s grand new organ, a large wind orchestra and a concerto-performing brass quintet.

“By combining a large wind orchestra and concerto-performing brass quintet with their acoustic relative the organ, we multiply the spectrum of sound and create new possibilities for building exciting soundscapes,” Einojuhani Rautavaara said about this work.

The concerto’s brilliant soloist is award-winning organ player Aleksanteri Wallius, who already has many awards to his name.

The second half of the concert begins with Gustav Holst’s Hammersmith. Holst loved the Hammersmith district of London, which lies along the shores of the River Thames in London and became the title for this work composed in 1930. The composer is fascinated by the ever-changing river and the crowds passing along the streets. In the mornings people filled the large factories, in the evenings they went looking for fun and excitement. The composition sets the river as the background to the ever-moving crowds.        

Concluding the concert is a wind orchestra version of Igor Stravinsky’s beloved ballet The Firebird.

Academy Winds
Petri Komulainen, conductor
Aleksanteri Wallius, organ

Additional information: Anna Rombach, anna.rombach@uniarts.fi 

Academy Winds

Academy Winds is the seasonal wind ensemble of the Sibelius Academy. It has existed in its current form since 2012, when lecturer in wind conducting Peter Ettrup Larsen established the ensemble. Academy Winds includes separate brass and woodwind ensembles Academy Brass and Academy Woodwinds.

The performers are selected from among orchestral instrument students for rehearsal periods which last 4–6 days and culminate in a public concert. The work schedule mimics those of professional orchestras. Academy Winds is coordinated by Petri Komulainen, lecturer in wind conducting.

Mannerheimintie renovation project

Access to the Musiikkitalo from the direction of Mannerheimintie will be difficult. We recommend that you allow enough time for your arrival and use the entrance on the side of Kansalaistori if possible. According to current information, the entrance to Mannerheimintie will also remain in use throughout the renovation, but pedestrian routes can be challenging at times.

We recommend following the official information channels of the renovation project, where you can find the most up-to-date information.

Time

2.3.2024 at 16:00 – 17:40

Location

Concert Hall

Mannerheimintie 13a

00100 Helsinki

Helsinki Music Centre

Tickets

23-34€

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