SibA Folk Big Band
Finnish folk orchestra of 40 musicians with fiddles, kanteles, accordions, harmoniums, guitars, percussions, winds and vocals.
Presentation
The SibA Folk Big Band (SibA FBB) is a Finnish folk orchestra consisting of approximately 40 musicians. It was founded in the guidance of Petri Prauda in 2010 as part of the operation of folk music department of Sibelius Academy. The instrumentation contains fiddles, kanteles, accordions, guitars, wind instruments, harmoniums and singing, but also archaic instruments like bowed lyre (jouhikko), Jews harp (munniharppu) and Mänkeri (old clarinet instrument).
Each member is a player, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, soloist and ensemble musician as well as a skilled improviser. The orchestra performs without a conductor or sheet music, through improvisation and focus by using dynamic, rhythmic and expressive communication.
Despite a careful research of historical singing and playing styles, SibA FBB sees folk music as something that lives strongly in the present. SibA FBB is a part of a 10,000-year continuum, and the only way to continue is to keep creating new folk music. The end result is something unprecedented, powerful and contagious – it glows with pride for our own musical traditions.
Contact information
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Roope Aarnio
Lecturer, folk music (plucked instrument), folk music (plucked instrument), Folk music, Sibelius Academyroope.aarnio@uniarts.fi
Audio and video
SibA FBB has a rich, robust and unique sound. Each instrument has its moment of glory, but the real celebration begins when the full ensemble joins in.
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Listen to SibA Folk Big Band
Listen to Siba Folk Big Band on Soundcloud.
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Watch SibA Folk Big Band’s videos
Watch SibA Folk Big Band’s videos on Youtube.
Discography
The repertoire of SibA FBB consists of traditional dance melodies and songs, teachers’ and students’ contemporary compositions and arrangements, and ordered compositions. There are straightforward polskas, waltzes and schottisches played with irresistible going, which makes you want to dance. More atmospheric and meander tunes are represented by the various sparkling contemporary folk music compositions.
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Katrilli toisesta elämästä / Quadrille from another life
The Second album of Sibelius Academy Folk Big Band, Katrilli toisesta elämästä / Quadrille from another life, was released 12th of January 2019.
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FBB
The first album of SibA Folk Big Band, FBB, was released 19th of February 2014. In 2015, the orchestra received the Etno-Emma award for this album.