Sointi Jazz Orchestra's 10th anniversary year starts in March with three joint concerts with contemporary folk music duo VILDÁ on March 16–18 in Helsinki, Kangasa and Porvoo. In addition, the spring program includes a concert with composer-pianist Sid Hille on April 14 in Temppeliaukio church, and May 16 an evening of new music at Malmitalo, where Tero Hyväluomaa will be heard as violin soloist.
Sointi Jazz Orchestra, founded ten years ago by Rasmus Soini, can be considered a unique ensemble in many ways, both in the Finnish music scene and internationally. The 18-member jazz orchestra, made up of young professionals, has renewed and diversified the big band tradition without neglecting the combination of different genres. The band, which focuses on new music, performs new concert programs tailored just for it every year including commissioned works, premieres and adaptations of the works of visiting artists. Among others Mathias Eick, Maria Faust, Marius Neset, Aili Ikonen and Matti Johannes Koivu have visited as soloists. The ten-year journey of the band, which was originally born as a school project, includes the Teosto award nomination of the Kolibri album, a crowd-funded debut album, and international competition success.
In the joint VILDÁ concerts in March, the compositions of the duo formed by Hildá Länsman and Viivi Maria Saarenkylä will be heard arranged for a jazz orchestra. In addition to Länsman's joiks, the use of the accordion as a big band instrument is rare in the collaboration. In April, Sid Hille's award-winning big band compositions and two new commissioned works will be heard in Temppeliaukio church, and in May, the New Music Night organized at Malmitalo will premiere the band's six-part work A Walk in the Park by pianist Aleksis Liukko, as well as Uria II, a piece drawn from folk music by musician-composer Teemu Eerola, featuring violin soloist Tero Hyväluoma.
In addition to the versatile program of the jubilee year, Sointi Jazz Orchestra will be joined by an executive director during 2023. The autumn anniversary program will be published later.
Sointi Jazz Orchestra 10 year anniversary program, spring:
16.3. Sointi Jazz Orchestra & VILDÁ, Vuotalo, Helsinki
17.3. Sointi Jazz Orchestra & VILDÁ, Kangasala-talo, Kangasala
18.3. Sointi Jazz Orchestra & VILDÁ, Taidetehdas, Porvoo
14.4. Sointi Jazz Orchestra x Sid Hille, Temppeliaukion kirkko, Helsinki
16.5. Sointi Jazz Orchestra feat. Tero Hyväluoma: New Music Night, Malmitalo, Helsinki
VILDÁ / Photo: Joanna Suomalainen