The Musica nova concert commemorates Kaija Saariaho, who died on 2 June 2023 and whose contribution to the new organ was invaluable. In the concert, Jan Lehtola will premiere three solo works that were awarded in the International Kaija Saariaho Organ Composition Competition. Lehtola will also premiere compositions from three young Finnish-based composers: Tiina Myllärinen, Aino Tenkanen, and Mioko Yokoyama. After the intermission, the organ’s computer-generated features will be heard for the first time with Jean-Baptiste Barrière and Alejandro Olarte. Jan Lehtola was involved in the designing process of the new organ and he also collaborated with Kaija Saariaho. Lehtola has premiered 200 compositions and recorded the complete organ works of nearly twenty contemporary composers for international record labels.

Saturday 8 February from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Jan Lehtola, organ

Jean-Baptiste Barrière and Alejandro Olarte (electronics)

Hommage à Kaija Saariaho

Antonini Luc (FR)                 Sonate premiere
b. 1961

Tiina Myllärinen   [new composition] premiere
b. 1979

Balmer Yves (FR)  Winds Choreography premiere
b. 1978

Aino Tenkanen     [new composition] premiere
b. 1991

Ehnvall Zacharias (SWE) Multiplicité premiere
b. 1991

Mioko Yokoyama  [new composition] premiere
b. 1989

New possibilities of the organ with Jean-Baptiste Barrière and Alejandro Olarte (electronics).

In cooperation with Musica Nova Helsinki and Music Centre’s Play the Organ Association.