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“Nature exposes the artifice of art, the craftedness of it, the smallness and egotism of it before the vastness of creation. To invoke nature is to admit the wild, the unplanned, into art,” writes composer Matthew Whittall. This column is part of the series, where composers and other music makers write about their music.

Innumerable concerts, wonderful halls and talented musicians: the popular image of the status of Western art music in Japan has undergone a sea-change in the past few decades. The country has a rich musical culture that today is closely aligned with the West yet continues to explore its own unique pathways. Lasse Lehtonen, Visiting Researcher at the University of Tokyo, discusses the musical culture of Japan in his column, which was written before the COVID-19 outbreak morphed into a pandemic.

Saxophonist Jukka Perko has taken his musical communication ideas into other fields of working life with successful lectures combining musical thinking and everyday workplace dynamics. Can listening to improvisation in music teach us something about working together and communicating?

Musician and composer Timo Alakotila has found the perfect balance between working alone and with other musicians.

Collaborations between visual artists and musicians are leading music as an artform into new territories. Music gets conceptualised and finds new forms when contemporary artists and music professionals join forces.

The Finnish National Opera and Ballet has launched an extensive project to integrate cutting-edge technology into the world of art in multiple ways, seeking synergies and tools for new kinds of cooperation and communality in both planning and audience relations. However, the FNOB like most of Finnish society is currently shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All rehearsals and performances have been cancelled for the time being, including the ‘Opera Beyond’ conference and premiere this spring. Obviously the world will change as a result of this crisis, and the art of opera will change too.

​When we began to plan this Special Feature, our idea was to look at collective creativity, collaboration and communication in the field of music. None of us could imagine what the world would be like only a few months later, as we are ready to publish these articles.

Collaborative composing is not common among Finnish composers of art music, and the approach raises several critical questions. Is it even possible to share musical creation and innovation with another person? Does group work inevitably lead to bland or incoherent compromises, or can it produce art of a high quality? Is the incentive for engaging in this that it is trendy or that commissioners want it that way, or do composers have other reasons for co-authoring works? Despite the numerous reservations, some composers have found collaboration to be an enriching aspect of writing music.

​The coronavirus pandemic is affecting the lives of people all around the world, and the music sector is not immune to its impact. In Finland, for instance, the Government has decided to ban all public events with more than 500 attendees until further notice. But this cannot stop the music: times of crisis such as this heighten the importance of music in bringing people together and providing encouragement and comfort. FMQ compiles information on available live streaming and explains how Finnish music is responding to the challenges of the pandemic. This article will be updated on a weekly basis, so watch this space!