Stories by

"The eight compositions on this record, most by Innanen, exhibit a broad stylistic and musical spectrum."

"The seven tracks on the disc, all written by Lassy, seem to form a thematic whole and succeed in maintaining a coherent, magic mood."

"Divided Horizon starts ever so gently yet progresses rapidly towards a more forceful and playful expression. High on logic but never too calculated, Rissanen eases himself into the role of a weathered storyteller as the album flows along."

"While the music sticks to the tradition, the sound of the recording is contemporary. The album is a timeless delight for admirers of all things bop."

"Joik comes in many guises, and I have been obliged to accept that my joik language is mixed up with all sorts of things. The main thing, however, is that my joik language is for expressing my feelings on my own terms," writes Sámi musician Ánnámáret (Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman). This column is part of the series where composers and musicians write about their music.

The Kaivos festival, held at the disused copper mine in Outokumpu, brought to this unique environment a serving of musical, visual and performance art that did strange things to time – being experienced by audience members variously as a meditation, a swim in the ice or a profound experience of communing with nature.

For an artist, art is a means of making a living. But what are the revenue streams of musicians, composers and music makers these days, and how are they distributed among various artists and groups? What are the prospects of continuing to make a living in music in the post-pandemic future?

“The coronavirus support measures allocated to the arts and culture sector in Finland have been modest by Nordic comparison and were not based on compensation of losses as would have been appropriate but on the grants system that is in place under normal circumstances. Also, they only offer solutions for the immediate needs caused by the crisis. Further anxiety is added by the fact that there are substantial cuts to the arts looming in the central government budget in the near future, and what will happen beyond 2024 is anyone’s guess,” writes Kaisa Rönkkö, Executive Director of Music Finland.

“From the viewpoint of direct artist funding, art politics since the 1990s recession have failed. The sector’s growth has not been matched by increased public funding.” Composer Pasi Lyytikäinen reflects on the progress and future views of composers’ livelihood in Finland.