Apr 29, 2010
Marie Helene Bessesen completed her Bachelor’s Degree in clarinet at The Royal Danish Academy of Music and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree with Charles Neidich at the Manhattan School of Music. She’s toured extensively and performed at such venues as the Sydney Operea House, The Danish Radio Conert Hall, and Carnegie Hall.
Apr 10, 2010
Jaakko Heikkilä photographs people with warmth and empathy. He has long been interested in minorities and small communities and has photographed them in Torne river valley, Russia, Harlem of New York, Armenia, Los Angeles, Venice, Serbia and Brazil.
Cosponsored by Finlandia Foundation New York Metropolitan Chapter.
Pavlina Horakova is from Prague, the Czech Republic, and in her last year of studies at the Manhattan School of Music. With her dark and deep mezzo-soprano voice, she gave an outstanding interpretation of songs and arias by Jean Sibelius, Antonin Dvorak, P.I. Tchaikovsky, S.Rachmaninov, Figus Bystry, J.Brahms. K.Weill and L.Bernstein — a concert of Finnish, Czech and Russian music. Finland Center Music Director Kalle Toivio seems as brilliantly capable of the task of accompanist as he is giving a solo piano or organ recital. We look forward to following Ms. Horakova’s career in the future!
On Valentine’s Day, the Parlor of the Salmagundi Club in Greenwich Village New York was filled to the last chair as violinist Anna Miritza Lundberg played romantic music suited to the theme of the day. Beginning with Jean Sibelius’ Romance, the music and the intimate setting – with its oriental carpets, 19th century paintings, crystal chandeliers and ornate fireplaces — quickly took the listener back to the 19th century salons. Somewhat familiar, at least to the Finns in the audience, were some of Pablo de Sarasate’s virtuoso tunes, for which he drew inspiration from Spanish Gypsy music. Ms. Lundberg’ spirited playing was matched by that of accompanying pianist Kalle Toivio, who also performed two solo pieces, one being Frederic Chopin’s Ballade in F minor, the other one the Spanish Rhapsody by Franz Liszt. The performers received a standing ovation, and were called back for an encore: Czardas by Monti. We are grateful for the valuable contribution of our Music Director, Kalle Toivio, in arranging this concert as well as many others earlier and yet to be heard; and like some members in the audience specifically expressed to us, we hope to hear Ms. Lundberg again soon in New York.
Jan 21, 2010
Idée Fixe played a wonderfully inspiring concert at the Salmagundi Club on January 21st. Their bold choices for the program included works by Gabriel Pierne, Lars-Erik Larsson, Vincent Persichetti and Samuel Barber. In addition the audience heard very interesting works by contemporary Finnish composers. These pieces by Kirmo Lintinen and Marko Portin proved that contemporary music in Finland is alive and well and sounds exciting and new at the same time. Many times contemporary music can sound abstract and too theoretical to the listeners, who most of the time do not have the luxury to study the works before the concert takes place. This was not the case in Idée Fixe’s concert. These works sounded fresh and musically alive. Perhaps it is the nature of the combination of the instruments, woodwinds in this case, that gave the clarity and exactness to the execution that made this particular concert such a pleasure to the listener. Kirmo Lintinen and Marko Portin have managed to create music that is at the same time extremely interesting and stimulating to listen to. Job well done!
Idée Fixe, whose five members are all members of leading Finnish symphony orchestras, has found something very original in their ensemble, and we could all enjoy the fruits of their efforts in the concert. This kind of musicianship is something worth to preserve and support. It grew out of a need to form a chamber music ensemble from orchestra musicians and has developed into artistically cultivated organism. We wish Idée Fixe succes in their career hope to hear them soon again in New York City.
Dec 16, 2009
By Mirva Lempiäinen
If one had to compile a list of discussion topics to avoid at Christmas parties, rape would no doubt be high up there. Yet on Dec. 16, 2009, more than 100 New York Finns and their friends got together for Finland Center’s holiday party at the Salmagundi Club to break the silence surrounding this exact issue.
The purpose of the event, “A Holiday Celebration with Meaning,” was to raise funds for the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For years, the hospital’s gynecologist Denis Mukwege has patched together the bodies and lives of the battered women, who have become victims in the long-standing war.
“Sexual violence is the weapon of choice,” said Lisa F. Jackson, a documentary filmmaker whose documentary, “The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo,” played a central part in the evening’s program.
“It’s been shown to be more effective than bullets,” she said. The Panzi Hospital treats about 3,600 victims of sexual violence per year, many of who have been ostracized from their communities. The most disheartening thing, Jackson said, is that many of the women are now repeat visitors in the hospital that has become “a fistula factory.”
Despite being 76 minutes long, the film captured an attentive audience of about 20 people. Meanwhile, the rest of the guests enjoyed themselves by listening to the soulful tunes of singer Janita in the Parlor, and by challenging the billiard World Champion Mika Immonen for a game of billiards in the Lower Gallery.
The evening also provided the guests the chance to nosh on Nordic-style hors d’oeuvres served by Smörgås Chef, and to bid on items in a silent auction, including a dress designed by Paola Suhonen, some Ghanian woodcarvings and Finnish Christmas baskets.
In the event’s opening remarks Finland Center’s President Jaana Rehnström thanked the audience for “coming here and choosing not to remain silent.” She also talked about the values of health, education and women’s empowerment being Finland’s greatest exports.
Rehnström announced that the holiday party would kick off a yearlong campaign of fundraising efforts for the Panzi Hospital. Ritva Jolkkonen, the Consul General of Finland, gave an overview of Finland’s development assistance to Africa over the years, and thanked Finland Center for tackling such a difficult topic.
Jackson said she was happy to see that her documentary was making the rounds among the Finnish community in New York and that the Finns were enthusiastic about raising money for the Panzi Hospital.
“Ultimately it’s a tremendous help because there are women who need these services,” she said. “Once people know, you’ll want to do something.”
Ossi Närhi of Hastings attended the event with his daughter, Amy, and won his bids on three Ghanaian woodcarvings for $110. “I think it was money well spent,” he said, calling the event a “wonderful occasion.”
Nov 24, 2009
Viktoriya Papayani is a talented as well as beautiful pianist, who met her husband, Finland Center’s Music Director Kalle Toivio, while they were both attending a music course at Suolahti, Finland several years back. Now settled in New York, the couple are a wonderful gift to the Finnish, as well as the larger New York, community! Viktoriya presented a program at the Salmagundi Club on Nov. 24 which caused the audience to erupt in cheers along with the applause. We were treated to compositions by Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Vivaldi transcribed for piano by Bach, and Ginastera, each piece introduced by the artist with illuminating as well as witty comments. The artist displayed both technical skill and sensitive expression; she deserves to be heard more often!
Oct 17, 2009
The tunes of Sibelius filled the room at the Salmagundi Club in New York City on a recent Sunday afternoon. Although much of the music was familiar to Finns and other Sibelius fans, some of the tunes have not commonly been heard arranged for the cello, played with superb skill and passion by Jussi Makkonen, accompanied by Kalle Toivio on piano. Makkonen interspersed the music with interesting background information. The two artists have exactly the same birthday and are on what they jokingly called their “60th Anniversary” tour (both are 30 years old) and will be heard again in Boston on Saturday, October 17. For information about that event, please contact us at info@finlandcenter.org. For more info about the artists, see www.jussimakkonen.com and www.kalletoivio.com.