Uusinta Ensemble is a contemporary music group focusing in the newest music, new performances, and renewing our musical culture, true to its name (uusinta (Finnish) = newest; repeat performance; renewal).

“My hope is to bring a little bit of the land to future musicians through this piece.” -Tanya Tagac

Forging a connection with nature, Uusinta Ensemble are joined by Sámi artist Ánnámáret, whose collaboration with Spanish-Finnish composer Jaime Belmonte has produced an amicable collaborative alliance between Western contemporary music and traditional joik, titled Ráidu. Ánnámáret also performs her own solo luohti. Tanya Tagac, a vocal and electronic music creator whose roots are in the Inuit culture of Canada, wrote Sivunittinni originally for throat singing. The premiere work on the programme is by Jouni Hirvelä and is inspired by gagaku, ancient Japanese courtly music that is the oldest known type of orchestral music. The work reflects the static sound of the Sho organ, which may be interpreted as a metaphor for the melding of mind and nature.

Jouni Hirvelä (*1982): Hohka (ke)
Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman (*1979): Luohtisoolot
Tanya Tagaq (*1975): Sivunittinni (2015)
Jaime Belmonte Caparrós (*1988) / Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman: Ráidu (2023)

Fractals is a hypnotic work by composer Robert Ruohola and video artist Valtteri Alanen, in which music and video fill Turku Art Chapel with ever-changing patterns.

The final concert of the joint project between Uusinta Ensemble and the Sibelius Academy will feature the premiere performances of five new works for 4–6 players by composition students at the Sibelius Academy.

Tatu Piitulainen: Ruska (wp.)
Simone Peroni: String Quartet No. 1 (wp.)
Arman Abolghasemi: Three Divertimentos (wp.)
Nuutti Huhtilainen: After Dark (wp.)
Shenran Wang: Surge (wp.)

One composer, three soloists, six musicians. In Olli Koskelin’s fourth composition concert, six works will be performed, four of which are premieres. Uusinta String Quartet will give the world premiere of Koskelin’s new string quartet and join pianist Heini Kärkkäinen and clarinetist Gleb Kanasevich for the world premiere of a new sextet, Haiku 13.

Olli Koskelin: Jacquard for viola (wp.)
Olli Koskelin: Animal II for bass clarinet (Finnish premiere)
Olli Koskelin: Music for String Quartet II (wp.)
Olli Koskelin: Discussions with… for piano (wp.)
Olli Koskelin: 13 haiku for clarinet, piano and strings (wp.)
Olli Koskelin: Exalté for clarinet

Uusinta Ensemble once again tunes into new and exciting sounds — this time through the works of composer personalities whose music the ensemble has never performed before. The concert’s theme, “Our Finland is international,” highlights the diversity and fluid identity of contemporary music today.

The evening features works by five internationally active composers living and working in Finland. The selected composers are Spain-born Pilar Miralles, Romanian-rooted Sebastian Dumitrescu, Juhani T. Vesikkala, who has studied composition in Graz and Prague, Eetu Ranta-aho, who resides in Japan but is closely involved in Finnish contemporary music, and Robert Fleitz, an American-born pianist-composer who came to Finland via Latvia.

The concert offers musical responses to the challenges of our time — to the sense of urgency, experiences of disconnection, and the complexity of the world. Each work will be heard in Finland for the very first time. This is not just a celebration, but a glimpse into what Finnish contemporary music is now — and what it could become in the future.

Sebastian Dumitrescu (b. 1989): Ancient Wisdom (2019) – Finnish premiere
Eetu Ranta-aho (b. 1992): Feign Feign (2022) – Finnish premiere
Juhani T. Vesikkala (b. 1990): Into These Worldless Houses (2020) – Finnish premiere
Pilar Miralles (b. 1997): Music to Watch the Clouds Pass By on a Windless Day (2023) – Finnish premiere
Robert Fleitz (b. 1992): Come Here Come Here (2016) – Finnish premiere

The concert is part of the series Juhlat – Säveltäjät 80, with which the Society of Finnish Composers (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.)celebrates its 80th anniversary.