Organ Music of the 21st Century

Featuring

Susanne Kujala
Maija Hynninen
Veli Kujala
Minna Leinonen
Olli Virtaperko
Antti Auvinen

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Performer Biography

Susanne Kujala, the organist on this album, is an accomplished interpreter of contemporary music, having premiered over 50 solo and chamber works, three concertos, and five works for the microtonal Fokker organ.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Antti Auvinen, a composer featured on this album, often draws inspiration from pressing issues and problems in modern life, creating works that compel listeners to ask questions and take a stance.

Composer Biography

Olli Virtaperko, one of the composers on this album, has had a diverse career, including being a vocalist in the popular Finnish rock group Ultra Bra and leading Ensemble Ambrosius, which performs Frank Zappa's music with Baroque instruments.

Recording & Production

This album features recordings from three different churches in Finland: Turku Cathedral, Saint Paul Church in Helsinki, and Kallio Church in Helsinki, each with its own unique main organ.

Composition History

Minna Leinonen's 'Par Préférence' was composed during her master's studies, where she was challenged to sketch the musical events precisely on millimetre paper before writing any notes, a process that became a permanent part of her working method.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Composer Maija Hynninen's music often explores moments where the parameters of this world are slightly altered, allowing a glimpse of another reality through unique timbres or electronic sound projections.

Composer Biography

Veli Kujala, a composer and performer on this album, developed a new instrument called the quarter-tone accordion with composer Sampo Haapamäki, and some of his concertos have been written for it.