The Finnish Big Band federation and Metropolia organized a Finland’s big band championships in Helsinki on Saturday 6th of October.
Four Helsinki-based big bands took part in the competition. HOS Big Band (3rd), Metropolia Big Band (joint 2nd), Junior All Star Big Band (joint 2nd) and Roast Burn Big Band (1st). All bands performed optional 15 minutes long program.
Prizes
- Roast Burn Big Band, conductor Aarni Häkkinen: 1st place, 1 500€
- Metropolia Big Band, conductor Antti Rissanen and Junior All Star Big Band, conductor Antti Rissanen: joint 2nd place, 750€
- HOS Big Band conductor Rasmus Soini: 3rd place, 500€
- Casimir Ekman and Jesse Mast: Soitin Laine 100€ gift certificate
- Pilvi Kokkonen, Elina Virtanen, Juho Valjakka, Tuukka Dunkel and Tomi Nikku: Kauan eläköön UMO! –recognition (CD + membership of the UMO friends 2019 + concert tickets)
- Ville-Veikko Airaniemi: lunch treated by Petri Juutilainen
Roast Burn Big Band:
Conductor: Aarni Häkkinen
Saxophones: Anni Thomsson, Jesse Mast, Casimir Ekman, Sami Leponiemi, Viljami Heikkinen
Trombones: Aarni Häkkinen, Miika Hyttinen, Tuomas Pajari, Henrik Kolehmainen
Trumpets: Arttu Sipilä, Lauri Iljin, Tomi Nikku, Danila Pushin, Jarkko Soinikoski
Comping: Juho Valjakka (piano), Ville-Veikko Airaniemi (kitara), Antti Ahoniemi (basso), Tuukka Dunkel (rummut), Mikko Anttila (perkussiot)