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Even though a tunnel passing underneath the Gulf of Finland is but a distant dream, there already exists a strong spiritual link between the countries of Finland and Estonia. A bridge built on music started forming right after Estonia became an independent state.

"The microphones are going to take some time to catch up with the astonishing flood of Finnish instrumental concertos since the turn of the 21st century, so it’s good to be able to welcome the first recording of Jouni Kaipainen’s Trumpet Concerto, written in 2003 to a commission from the soloist here, Pasi Pirinen, to whom it is also dedicated."

"Whether this is an opera, a form of music theatre, a happening or an extravaganza does not matter."

Jimi Tenor has never been an easy subject for anyone trying to label his work. Seemingly free of genre boundaries, the musical vocabulary in Tenor-land has just expanded further with his new project, Itetune. This time the artist has even created his own instruments.

What happens if you put forty folk musicians and their instruments in one room once a month for a couple of years? The Sibelius Academy Folk Big Band is leading the way for Finnish folk instrument orchestras.

Finland has taken the potato from Peru — potato in Finnish is peruna, by the way — and the tango from Argentina. Both these South American imports are cultivated in these northern latitudes perhaps even more devotedly than in their countries of origin. Pekka Gronow reports on the way in which the tango has taken root in Finland and stubbornly survived even the arrival of Elvis and The Beatles.

"Saxophonist and composer Eero Koivistoinen is one of the best-known Finnish jazz musicians. For fifteen years he also has composed music for the Juvenalia Choir."

"Mäkynen’s first-rate compositions alternate with some hand-picked standard tunes, such as “Love Is Here to Stay” or “For Dancers Only”."

The first decade of the 21st century witnessed a boom for hymns in Finland. Saxophonist Jukka Perko, one ofthe most fascinating stars in the country's jazz firmament decided to try his hand at recording his interpretations. How, why and what happened then?