Lec­ture Se­ries on Mu­sic of Our Time

Lecture series on music of our time consist of visits of composers and other artists discussing their practice, works, and questions related to these. The lecutres are held in the auditorium of Helsinki Music Centre on Thursdays at 1:15 to 2:45 PM. Discussions with Musica nova composers are held in English.

On Thursday January 23st Justina Repečkaitė discusses her new work, to be premiered on Thursday 6^th of February on Musica nova Helsinki festival in Centre for New Dance as a part of the Sfäärit (Spheres) performance initiated by harpsichordist Marianna Henriksson and choreographer Anna Mustonen. In Sfäärit (Spheres), the artists explore the assumptions and questions surrounding the coming together of dance and music. Repečkaitė studied composition in France, i.a. in IRCAM and is one of most succesful Lithuanian composers. Her music has been described by critics as having “many similarities to a diamond“.

On Thursday February 6th Lara Poe presents her works Laulut maaseudulta (Songs from the countryside, 2024) and Onervalaulut (2023) and discusses the experience of writing again for orchestra without a soloist after these song cycles. Poe is a Finnish-American composer currently studying for a PhD at King’s College, London, under the supervision of Sir George Benjamin. The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra will premiere her new work for orchestra on Wednesday 12^th of Feburary on Musica nova Helsinki festival. Poe is FRSO’s theme composer for the 2024–2025 season.

On Thursday February 13th Vito Žuraj discusses his new work INNEN for mixed choir and ensemble on libretto by Händl Klaus, and another work for similar forces, Der Verwandler for mixed chamber choir and orchestra. INNEN will be premiered by Helsinki Chamber Choir and the Freiburg-based Ensemble Reserche conducted by Nils Schweckendiek on Saturday 15^th February as part of the Music nova Helsinki festival. Žuraj’s work is characterized by powerful and meticulously crafted compositions, often incorporating scenic elements and spatial sound concepts. He is a professor of composition and music theory at the Music Academy of the University of Ljubljana.

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