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The Time of Music festival built its anniversary festival programme on the theme of diversity. Under the banner ‘Mundi Novi – New Worlds’, the festival showcased ideas and voices that often remain in the shadows.

We warmly welcome the new editorial team for the Fall season 2022.

"I used to think of tight schedules as something that stand in the way of creativity. That the mind always needs time to ponder, weigh and analyse before the music can flow. I’ve since come to realise it’s far more complicated than that," writes film composer Panu Aaltio. This column is part of the series "On my music and beyond" where composers and other music makers write about their music.

"The book is above all a profuse and expert love letter to music and life in the Nordic countries. Mellor’s expertise in and enthusiasm for his subject comes clearly across in the text."

What concrete actions have been taken to advance equality in the Finnish music industry? How can diversity be promoted? Researcher Heidi Partti, musician-pedagogue Puro Paju, festival director Linda Suolahti and communications head Sanni Kahilainen talk about programming, the possibilities of pedagogy and questioning the prevailing models.

Part of the homeland of the Sámi people is in northern Finland, but the Sámi identity is a global one and is heavily defined by its music. The joik tradition stands apart from mainstream culture, even if expressed in rap or in world music.

"At some point, even the most rigid relics in the music industry will give up their defensive reactions and realise that, hang on, this diversity stuff is all the rage, where can we get some?"

Swedish native speakers constitute Finland’s culturally most significant minority. Much of Finland’s music has Finland-Swedish roots, the best-known case in point being Jean Sibelius. The strength of these roots can be heard in Finland-Swedish folk music, with its minuets, ballads and regional specialties – a tradition very different from that of Finnish-speaking Finns.

As in any country on earth, there are multiple music cultures in Finland. Each stems from its own unique tradition and from the identity of its creators, but they are also in touch with the modern world. This playlist compilation focuses on four traditions: Finland-Swedish folk music, Sámi music, Finnish Roma music and Global music in Finland. The playlists were compiled by representatives of the respective cultures.