singing

By day, Tero Halvorsen is a mild-mannered archivist, but in his spare time he fights against time and oblivion. His tiny record label Finlandia Classics releases historical recordings made by Finnish singers celebrated in their day that would otherwise languish in radio vaults and private collections – and eventually disappear. While the operating environment for the recording industry has become challenging to say the least, Halvorsen’s passion and vision keep him going.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a boom time for freelancers, according to Forbes. But not for freelance musicians.

"​This programme is predicated on the twin abilities of Virpi Räisänen, who began her career as a violinist and then blossomed as a mezzo. It was stimulated by the knowledge that Holst’s Four Songs for Voice and Violin were intended for a single performer, singing and playing, but had never yet been recorded by a sole musician."

Several eras and genres are represented in the domain of Finnish traditional folk singing: ancient runo singing, roundelays or Reigenlied, and medieval ballads. Inspiration from and combinations of multiple styles have resulted in a wealth of new repertoire that reflects and comments on our own times.

As the Mirjam Helin Competition in Helsinki names its winners, what awaits the next generation of singers who are hoping to repeat the success of their forbears – or simply earn a living? We assess their options and opportunities with the help of two established professionals.

Mirjam Helin faced the sort of injustices that the world is at last trying to banish forever, but the Finnish singer’s sacrifice has proved priceless for the generations that have followed her.