Held every other year, the Helsinki International Big Band Composing Contest will be organized again in 2023 by the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and The Finnish Big Band Association (SBBY). The competition, previously known as the Esko Linnavalli big band composition competition, was reformed two years ago, and the rules have been slightly modified again in this year’s edition.
This time, all European or Europe-based composers without age limit can participate in the competition with one previously unrecorded and unpublished 4–7 minute piece, composed for a standard big band orchestration.
Contestants must submit their entries by May 1, 2023. Composers participate in the competition anonymously, under a pseudonym. The finalists will be announced after two anonymous pre-qualification rounds on August 25, 2023. A maximum of 10 compositions will be performed live by UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra in the final concert at Malmitalo, Helsinki, on October 5, 2023, conducted by Antti Rissanen. Tickets for the final concert are already for sale at Lippu.fi.
The jury of the competition includes the artistic director and chief conductor Ed Partyka (head of jury), British pianist, composer and conductor Nikki Iles, and Finnish saxophonist, composer and conductor Eero Koivistoinen.
– This contest gives needed exposure and financial support to composers who may not otherwise have the chance to have their music performed by a professional big band. In the last edition of the contest, we focused on young composers and in this edition, we will be focusing on European composers. In addition to helping the composers with exposure and financial support, this contest also is a great way for UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra to meet composers and arrangers for future projects. Finalists from the last edition have been working regularly as arrangers, soloists and even conductors for UMO, says Ed Partyka, the chief conductor and artistic director of UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, who also is the head of the jury.
For more information about the contest, visit:
umohelsinki.fi
Photo: Heikki Kynsijärvi