Jun 17, 2012

66 Finns and friends of Finland signed up for our Midsummer 5K run in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on June 17. The weather was perfect and the male winner was Brian Scharf of Bronxville, NY. The female winner was Elodie Pinot from France. They each won a pair of Karhu sneakers, and Elodie will get a dress from IvanaHelsinki. In addition, all the participants got T-shirts (designed by Essential Creative Agency); discount coupons for the Running Company Store and for Karhu products; and Lumene cosmetics. VOSS supplied water and Nordic Breads and Valio enabled us to make delicious and nutritious sandwiches to enjoy after the race. We thank these sponsors, as well as Sports Medicine Chelsea for their support! By popular demand have decided to redo this next year!

Jun 5, 2012

Members and friends got together at the cozy restaurant of the Salmagundi Club for a 10th anniversary celebration dinner , consisting of gravlax, herring, potato salad, beet salad a la Paavo Turtiainen, baked salmon with dill cream sauce, beef stew a la chef Christian Duprey, korvapuusti and flourless chocolate cake….after consuming all this delicious food, we got a treat listening to one of the many talented jazz groups thriving in Finland: Aleksi Ranta Group.

The group consists of Aleksi Ranta, guitar and composition, Petri Rahikkala on piano, Juho Kivivuori on base and Juho Peltoniemi on drums.

May 31, 2012

An appreciative record audience of over 80 people got a treat on the Upper East Side on May 31, as the beautiful hall of the Czech Center was filled with Roma tunes from different parts of Europe: the north (Finland), the center (Czech) and the south (Spain).

Petra Gelbart, who runs the Roma Music Department at NYU, had assembled a group performing Czech and Slovak Roma music: Ivan Gyokeni on violin and Rafael Rosa on guitar, with herself handling voice, piano and guitar; her two young children participated as well to everyone’s delight.

The second part consisted of Anette Åkerlund from Helsinki, who is soon to graduate from the renowned Sibelius Academy’s Folk Music Department. After singing a cappella a medley of Gypsy tunes from Finland in Romani and Finnish, she invited her mother Tuula on stage, and the two harmonized on several songs written by the Finnish Roma, accompanied by Sanna Valvanne on piano. In the last part, Anette was joined on stage by two Argentinian musicians, Cristian Puig on flamenco guitar and Sol, La Argentinita whose passionate flamenco song and dance drew multiple bravos and vigorous applause. We highly recommend following these talented New York based musicians to their next performance, and if you are in Finland, take note of the Åkerlunds!

The concert was cosponsored by the Czech Center, and we thank them for excellent cooperation! Support was received by Central Commission for Art (Finland) , Finlandia Foundation National Trust, and Suomi-seura.

Apr 11, 2012

The Finnish-born pianist, trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and now living there, gave an impressive performance in the Parlor of the Salmagundi Club on April 11. The repertoire showcased Julia’s technical skills, as evident in the Chopin pieces, or the all-over-the-keyboard Rachmaninoff’s Moment Musical op 16. #3 & #4;  as well as tremendous sensitivity as in the thunderous Liszt Ballade nr. 2, in B minor, or in the light-as-a feather "Claire de Lune" by Debussy. Sibelius’ Kuusi is always wonderful to hear.

Apr 2, 2012

Mezzo soprano Pavlina Horakova and Kalle Toivio (piano) performed at Finland Center. It was a lovely music-filled afternoon with Sibelius, Strauss and many more.

Mar 12, 2012

FCF's annual meeting was held on March 9, 2012. The annual report is available on the member website. Members can also request the annual report, financial statements, and other documents  by e-mailing info@finlandcenter.org. The new board as well as advisory board can be seen under Contacts.

Mar 10, 2012

Amadeus Lundberg, the Finnish King of Tango 2009, entertained at the Salmagundi Club as a special treat after ������Ƶlogo’s 10th Annual Meeting. This charismatic performer was accompanied by Olli Hirvonen Orchestra and sang well-known and beloved Finnish tangos, which inspired both Finns and the regular Salmagundi Club tango group to move onto the dance floor. This versatile vocalist showed he can do more as well, sounding like his hero Elvis in “In the Ghetto”;  reminding us of Sinatra in “New York, New York”, and showing his Roma roots with his rendition of Hortto Kaalo’s “Pyyhi tuuli kyyneleet”. JP Jofre’s talented group interspersed and ended the set in Argentinian style. Thanks to Finlandia Foundation New York Metropolitan Chapter for sponsoring Amadeus’ trip for his fabulous New York debut performance a week earlier.

Feb 29, 2012

On February 29, Ritva gave a concert playing Bach’s Prelude and Fugue B Flat Major BWV 890; Beethoven’s Sonata op 109; Ravel’s Sonatine and Davidsbündlertänze op 6 by Schumann. We are looking forward to a bright future for this talented and versatile pianist.

The Finnish pianist Ritva Koistinen (born in 1981) started her musical studies in the Conservatory of Joensuu, North-Carelia with Tuulikki Lehtinen and Janne Mertanen as teachers. In Sibelius Academy she studied with Juhani Lagerspetz, Ilmo Ranta, and Hanna Aho graduating as Master of Music in the year 2009. Besides classical piano, Ritva has also studied the harpsichord and baroque organ with Elina Mustonen and Petri Vuorio.

Ritva Koistinen feels that it’s vital to maintain a versatile approach to music making: her career so far includes not only concerts as a solo pianist, chamber musician, and a lied pianist but also performing with theater groups. She has also composed music for cross-genre performances. Since August 2011 Ritva has worked in Palmgren Conservatory in Pori, West-Finland, as a teacher and accompanist.

Feb 15, 2012

On February 15, Olli brought his band consisting of Dan Wilkins on saxophone, Jeff Koch on base, and Philippe Lemm from the Netherlands on drums, to the Salmagundi Club and played mostly Olli’s own compositions. We continue to be amazed at the quality and quantity of young talent that we are fortunate to “catch” to our little club – of which Olli and his band are a perfect example. Keep an eye out for more!

Dec 20, 2011

Vladimir Shafranov, a multinational jazz pianist based in the Åland Islands, brought Lena Bloch on saxophone and Putter Smith on bass to the intimate salon-like atmosphere of the Salmagundi Club last week.

Vladimir Shafranov was educated in Leningrad Conservatory on violin and piano. Already as a teenager he began playing jazz at the local scene, much to dismay of his teachers. He emigrated to Israel in 1973 and then to Finland in 1974.

While in Finland he was one of the most in demand pianist especially accompanying visiting Americans. Greatly encouraged by many of them to move to New York he did so in 1983 and was very active in Manhattan Jazz Scene playing at clubs such as Bradley’s, Blue Note, Village Vanguard, Village Gate among others. He was a duo partner with bassists like Ron Carter, Red Mitchell, George Mraz, and Buster Williams, led trios with Ron Carter-Al Foster, Rufus Reid, Victor Lewis, George Mraz, and Albert “Tootie” Heath to name but a few.

He also played with many top soloists such as Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Clifford Jordan, George Coleman, Pepper Adams and accompanied singers such as Carmen McRae, Ernestine Anderson, Etta Jones, and Jimmy Scott. Since 1998 he and his family settled on Åland Islands and has become one of best-selling jazz pianists in Japan having released 11 CD’s and a DVD. His latest release is “I’ll Close My Eyes” (2010) featuring Jesper Lundgaard on bass.

These seasoned musicians drew a respectable audience who listened attentively and took it all in with pleasure. Several of our performers have noted that our audiences tend to be serious listeners – no talking and clinking of glasses in the background! We hope to hear them again soon.

A pleasant surprise was Shafranov inviting his friend, jazz singer Jeannine Otis, from the audience to participate in two songs towards the end of the program!

Dec 10, 2011

Emma Larsson and Sami Linna drew a sold-out crowd at the Salmagundi Club for their performance of Emma’s own songs, smooth jazz classics and some bossa nova. Emma commented afterwards “the audience was so respectful – they actually listened!” – which was, of course, because this was a stellar performance with lots of little nuances that were heard easily in the cozy atmosphere – the bar at the venerable old artist club in Greenwich Village. Nobody wanted to leave… Please come back again, Emma and Sami!

Nov 4, 2011

Sini Simonen gave a perfect performance on November 4 at the Salmagundi Club! Simonen has already been awarded in several valued violin contests: Finalist, Sibelius Violin Contest 2005; 2nd prize, Carl Flesch -Violin Contest 2008; 1st prize, Cremona International Violin Solo Competition 2008; and 2nd prize, Rodolfo Lipizer -Violin Contest 2009.

Simonen has played recitals in Finland, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and Holland. She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Finnish Radio Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, The Gyõr Philharmonic, the Kuopio Philharmonic and the Helsinki Strings. She has also toured as a chamber musician in Japan and Mongolia with the reowned violinist Midori. Her first commercial recording was published by Warner Music in 2010; she plays as a soloist of the Bach Double violin concerto with Réka Szilvay and the Helsinki Strings.

Her teacher of many years is Lara Lev, who was in the audience at this performance also, and seemed happy with her student’s performance!

Simonen is ready to compete in the upcoming Sibelius Violin Contest in Helsinki from November 21 to December 2, where she is one of two Finnish participants among 40 finalists. Her program at the club consisted of both solo pieces and compositions for violin and piano; she was accompanied by Oskar Jezior. She showed her mastery of both classical pieces such as a Solo violin sonata in C-major  by J. S. Bach, Violin concerto No. 5, A-major by Mozart, Capriccios No. 11 and 24 by N. Paganini and Ballade Op. 115, Danse caractéristique Op. 79/3 and Danse champêtre Op. 106 /1 by Jean Sibelius;  as well as modern compositions by Kaija Saariaho (Tocar) and  Ysaye (Solo violin sonata, No. 6).

We wish Sini success in the contest and hope to hear her again in New York, perhaps on a larger stage next time!

Oct 13, 2011

Members of the book club got a special treat when the author of Poissa, Meritta Koivisto, paid a visit to their meeting. Some of them also attended her Creative Writing lecture held at Columbia University on October 13. FCF members who are conversant in Finnish enough to read contemporary literature, are welcome to join the book club to keep up their Finnish skills. Books are chosen by consensus, ordered, or bought in Finland and often shared between members of the group. Contact info@finlandcenter.org for details.

Nov 1, 2011

On a night when most New Yorkers stayed indoors, some 50 Finns and other Scandinavians ventured out, undaunted, in the rain and sleet to the Norwegian Seamen’s Church. Esa Pietila’s 4 Streams Quartet offered some of the best high-class jazz we have heard in a long time, an event co-sponsored by ������Ƶlogo and the American Scandinavian Society. The quartet, consisting of Esa Pietilä on tenor saxophone, Iro Haarla on piano, Uffe Krokfors on bass and Markku Ounaskari on drums, trolled up original compositions which ranged from the delicate to the vibrant and kept their audience rapt. The intimate setting of the Norwegian Seamen’s Church, without the clatter of glasses usually heard in a bar, helped us really appreciate the music. Nordic Breads and Valio provided Finnish rye bread and cheese for the reception afterwards. The group continued to a jazz festival in Quebec, and we hope to have them back in New York soon.

Sep 9, 2011

KAIVAMA is a talented new duo consisting of Sara Pajunen, violin, and Jonathan Rundman, guitar, piano, and harmonium... (Yes, check out that funny looking box in the photo! If you are old enough, you remember those things in the classroom of your elementary school in Finland, which the teacher would play to accompany the class in hymn-singing!). The duo, on an East Coast tour from their respective homes in Michigan and Minnesota, entertained a roomful of folk music fans in the parlor of the Salmagundi Club on Thursday, Sept. 9. Kaivama takes its name from the Finnish verb kaivaa ('to dig, excavate, explore') and that is what they do with their music – explore their roots – both members of the duo are 75% Finnish. Jonathan Rundman is actually a rock musician, and Sara Pajunen a classically trained violinist. The combination of the two has a vibrant result: they take old tunes and give them new interpretations as well as playing new pieces by current folk music composers, such as Arto Jarvela. They also presented some of their own compositions with strong folk music influence. Many feet were tapping in response to the catchy tunes and rhythms of polkka, polska, and schottis (jenkka) – we definitely want them back, and perhaps next time we will roll away the carpet and take a few steps!

Check back soon for a link to a videoclip of the concert!

Oct 5, 2011

Vilma Perkiomaki is a young but already accomplished violinist graduating soon from the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. She was accompanied by Riko Higuma, a seasoned pianist with her own impressive resume, currently teaching at the Manhattan School of Music. The pair gave a nuanced performance of compositions by Bach, Brahms, Glazunov, and Sarasate at the Salmagundi Club to a very appreciative audience. As “the sugar on the bottom” we got to hear an encore, recognized by the Finns in the audience as Eero Järnefelt’s Kehtolaulu (Lullaby).

Jul 20, 2011

PBS sponsored a free community screening of Steam of Life (Miesten vuoro), an acclaimed documentary about Finnish men in the sauna. The film had an appreciative audience at the Salmagundi Club, but for those of you who didn’t make it, it can still be viewed online .

Jul 15, 2011

Finnish jazz legend, pianist and composer Heikki Sarmanto, entertained us at the Salmagundi Club with new and old pieces, including wonderfully virtuosic improvisations of classical Finnish tunes by Kuula, Backman and Ehrstrom. A friend and collaborator in the audience, vocalist Jeannnine Otis, jumped in at the encore at the audience’s request — a special treat!

Jun 28, 2011

“Friends of New York” met new and old friends at the Jailyard terrace and listened to almost-New Yorker Heidi Lehmuskumpu sang lovely bossanova with Brazilian guitarist Fabio de Oliveira.

Jun 18, 2011

The talented Anatoli Panchoshny has over twenty-five years experience as a concert soloist of Moscow Philharmonic covering numerous stages of Moscow and surroundings — from Baltics to Siberia. He currently teaches voice in  New York City. His rich bass voice was magnificent to hear on Saturday, June 18 at the Salmagundi Club in New York. The program included many instantly recognizable songs and opera arias. Although he stumbled for a moment at the beginning of W.A.Mozart’s Aria Leporello from opera Don Giovanni, apparently not recalling the first words in Italian, he made up for it by repeating the piece in Russian! He seemed most at home, naturally, with the songs in his native language, P. Tchaikovsky’s "It was in early spring" and “At the ball”, and S. Rachmaninoff’s “Morning” and “Spring’s waters”, and the well-known traditional Russian song “Song of the Volga Boatmen”, which he performed as an added-on treat. Finland Center’s Music Director Kalle Toivio accompanied smoothly as usual.