Held biennially, Musica nova presents the very latest in music and contemporary classics to Finnish audiences. The festival also introduces composers who are now making their mark internationally, and actively seeks to build bridges between contemporary music and other genres of the arts.
Musica Nova Helsinki will take place on 2.-10.2.2021.
‘One of the highlights of our festival is without a doubt the premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s first ever stage work Study for Life, restored and revised after first and only being heard at the same festival 40 years ago. For me, this represents another element of our theme Polytopia and our series of Helsinki Polytypes – a hybrid of time travel, sound, stage, light and design, different voices, elements and topics’, says André de Ridder, the artistic director of the festival.
Helsinki Polytopes brings young composers and architects together to create new works of art. The project, implemented by Musica Nova, the Korvat auki society and the New Academy educational programme of architecture, is mentored by the architect Tuomas Toivonen, who also designed the festival’s new visual look.
The Helsinki Polytopes installations, some of which will be free, will be heard in surprising places. The work view by Antti Tolvi and the Seam ensemble, which consists of Antti Auvinen and Kristian Äijö, will transport viewers to another reality in the Space for Free Arts. The acoustic sound work Machina ex naturae by Tuuli Kanerva, Teemu Mastovaara and Leo Lindroos will be set up in Helsinki Central Park under Metsämäki Bridge. Siiri Hänninen’s and Tara Valkonen’s intimate work Room 227 will be available in a garage in Helsinki for just two people to attend at a time and only if pre-booked.
The acclaimed composer and multimedia artist Steen-Andersen constructs a version of his work Run Time Error at Helsinki Central Library Oodi, echoing the spirit of Xenakis’ iconic Polytopes. Combining video art, music and movement, the commissioned version of Run Time Error creates an audiovisual model of Oodi and takes the audience on a musical exploration into the architecture of this unique building. The concert in Oodi’s Maijansali hall also includes, for example, Steen-Andersen’s music performed by the electroacoustic music group defunensemble.
See the full programme here: https://musicanova.fi/en/musica-nova-program/
