Atlanta and other stuff

Sorry....I haven´t been very active in blogging recently. That´s because I promised myself that I´ll blog only if I feel like that, not because I have to fill some void in the cyber space. I just loaded a new album by Leona Lewis and got the inspiration for few lines. Additional help for this monumental task is provided by the excellent merlot by Duckhorn Vineyards (Napa Valley)....

During the last month there have been many memorable concerts. Eine Alpensinfonie and Le Sacre du Printemps in Tampere combined with two unique Beethoven experiences. Corey Cerovsek played a deeply beautiful version of the Violin Concerto and Steven Osborne delighted the Tampere public with the 4th Piano Concerto. Once again it was great to work with Steven Osborne. We discussed the 4th concerto a lot: phrases, proportions, drama and tempi only to realise that there are no answers. These questions can only be solved by intuition, while actually making music. I think we solved a lot in the concert but there are certainly enough enigmas left for the next thirty years . I hope one day I have a chance to play a complete Beethoven cycle with Steven (...this is a hint for all the distinguished Vice Presidents of Artistic Planning)

There was also an interesting week in Amsterdam and Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic. This and a certain composer Henk Badings deserve a separate entry later.

I´ve just wrapped up a week with the Atlanta Symphony. A happy week. ASO is a brilliant orchestra and I was impressed by their flexibility and musicality. We played Tchaikovsky, Glazunov and Shostakovich, each composer representing very well his own generation in Russian composing. I couldn´t help remembering one of my teachers, Ilya Musin, who once during one of his numerous master classes at the Sibelius Academy told us how Shostakovich (they were same age) used to show him the schetches of the First Symphony and how they played it together on the piano in the classroom of the St Peterburg Conservatory. For a musician the past is always near.

Atlanta was also one of the nicest cities I´ve been in the US. My friend, percussionist Colin Currie says Atlanta is a big-hearted city and he´s absolutely right. The culinary experiences were unforgettable.

Duckhorn is empty and I have go to sleep. Tomorrow flight to Rochester. More Shostakovich one....

Thanks ASO, Tai, Amy, Carol, Rebecca and Garrett!

Finally....

My website is finally back! I´m so sorry you had to wait for almost 12 months but the process was much slower than I could ever imagine. Anyway, Teemu Mattila has again done great job with the design based on some new photographs by Jonas Lundqvist, Sini Pennanen and Heikki Tuuli.

The timing however is perfect since the first week of September will be my first official week as a Music Director of the Tampere Filharmonia. After four more or less nomadic years it feels good to have a base somewhere, especially in Finland because during my travels I have missed a lot working in my own familiar culture and in my own language. I suppose this makes me a very typical Finn. You will also soon hear about another contract which will bring even more stability to my schedules.

We have already started the work in Tampere this week with two different CD recordings. The first project was around Italian composer Nino Rota and his eclestic two Piano Concertos (played by superb Janne Mertanen). Other pieces recorded were the Trumpet Concerto and orchestral scherzo "Ghost of Buster" by our Composer in Residence Jouni Kaipainen. Both CDs will be for the Alba label with which we have plans for many interesting projects.

My first official subscription concert will be on the 4th of September and the programme will include some of my most favourite music. More about that soon.

www.tampere.fi/filharmonia

It was very hot in Porvoo Summer Sounds this year....a snapshot by Heikki Tuuli