THIS AUTUMN the Helsinki Chamber Choir will present three very different concerts, demonstrating the versatility of this remarkable group of musicians. First up is a sextet visit to Italy, pairing recent works by Italian composers with selections from Carlo Gesualdo’s hyper-expressive 6th Book of Madrigals. In October, the choir returns to the Klang contemporary music series, bringing recent war-themed works by Finnish, American and Thai composers to Musiikkitalo.

     A highlight of the season will undoubtedly be Andrew Parrott’s debut with the Helsinki Chamber Choir in November. Parrott is one of the world’s leading authorities on early music and combines his formidable knowledge with dynamic musicianship.

     The autumn will also see the release of several new CDs, including music by Paola Livorsi, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Lotta Wennäkoski and Matthew Whittall, as well as a Christmas album that will survey musical celebrations of Yuletide in Finland through the ages. Stay tuned!

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!