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Message from the Dean
Welcome to the website of the Finland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists!
This year Finland celebrates the centenary of its independence (December 6). On this occasion Pipedreams highlights Finnish organ music on November 27.
Listen to Michael Barone’s broadcast with music by Sibelius and Rautavaara among others:
http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/listings/2017/1748/
The broadcast will stay online indefinitely.
One of the most anticipated highlights of this year was the master class and the concert of the great organist and pedagogue James David Christie (Oberlin Conservatory) from February 28, until March 2. Prof. Christie gave a master class on works by Nicolas de Grigny on the Porthan-Organ of Helsinki’s Pakila Church in Helsinki and on works by Dietrich Buxtehude on the Northern German baroque style-organ by Verschueren of Helsinki Music Centre’s Organo Hall. The students of Sibelius Academy’s Department of Church and Organ Music enjoyed very much working with James David Christie, who also performed a splendid recital with a program of works by J. S. Bach, Sweelinck, de Macque, Salvatore, Storace, Vivaldi, Buttstedt & Buxtehude.
The chapter was represented by the Sub-Dean Kalle Toivio and the Dean (yours truly) at the Northeast Regional Convention held at the Montreal Organ Festival July 2–6. I gave a workshop on “Finland 100 years – A Century of Finnish Organ Art”. The exhibit booth of the Finland Chapter presented musical scores, CD’s and information material about the organ builder Martti Porthan, Sibelius Academy’s Department of Church and Organ Music, Music Finland and Organum Society.
Another highlight of this summer was the Summer Concert at the end of July in Helsinki’s Kallio Church. Liisa Keränen, Irina Niskala, Tommi Niskala, Kalle Toivio and yours truly performed organ music from America and Finland on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll style organ by Åkerman & Lund (1995). The colorful program consisted of works by Samuel Barber, Nico Muhly, Pamela Decker, Edwin Henry Lemare, Oskar Merikanto, Jean Sibelius and Veli Kujala. Kalle Toivio also improvised on themes submitted by the audience.
Congratulations to Kalle, who is a finalist of the AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation in Kansas City 2018!
You might consider becoming a member of the Finland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. What would be a more suitable year to join us to promote the Finnish-American music connection than the year of Finland’s centenary of its independence?!
Susanne Kujala
Dean
Local Events
Members Summer Concert: The Finnish-American Musical Connection…
July 28 at 7 pm at Kallio Church Helsinki
On the program works by Samuel Barber, Charles Ives, Jean Sibelius, Oskar Merikanto.
Newsletter
Membership
Become a member of the AGO! Please select Finland Chapter! If you are already a member of another chapter, you may choose dual membership with the Finland Chapter.
http://ago.networkats.com/members_online/members/ago_new_member.asp
Get all of the benefits!
Placement
Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild’s National Website.
Certification
Contact Us
Dean Susanne Kujala
Tel.: +358-(0)50-327 0464
