As we move towards the 100th anniversary of Finland’s declaration of independence, the Helsinki Chamber Choir - Finland's only professional chamber choir - explores the country's place as part of our globalised world as well as in the light of history: the story of Finland began long before 1917.

”The anniversary celebrations in 2017 are omnipresent. I hope that the occasion will provide an opportunity to think about the meaning of nationalism and patriotism in a deeply interconnected world that faces global challenges”, says Nils Schweckendiek, artistic director of the choir.

During the spring season the Helsinki Chamber Choir will give high-profile concerts at home as well as taking up an invitation to Belgium by the Flanders Festival and the Tenso Network for professional chamber choirs. The season includes world premieres of new works by Tiina Myllärinen and Alejandro Viñao, as well as a number of country premieres.

These are exciting times for the Helsinki Chamber Choir! The autumn sees the group undertake major Nordic and North American tours, as well as hosting an international festival of professional choirs in Helsinki in late August. An album of music by Beat Furrer has just been released to critical acclaim, and a collection of works by Erik Bergman will follow later in the autumn. Recording sessions continue apace throughout the autumn and more releases are in the pipeline. But live performance is central to our music-making and we thrive on the special atmosphere created by our audiences, so we look forward to seeing many of you at our concerts throughout the autumn. Our diverse offerings, from contemporary music and song recitals to a traditional Christmas concert, contain something for everyone. Welcome to the Helsinki Chamber Choir’s autumn season!

Eric Ericsons Kammarkör, Det Norske Solistkor, Ars Nova Copenhagen and Tenso Europe Chamber Choir travel to Helsinki at 26–28 August 2016. Read more.