Vapaan Taiteen Tila

Music by Mioko Yokoyama, Ville Aslak Raasakka and Turkka Inkilä.

Pohjaton is a concert featuring newly written works for flute, cello, and electronics, each inspired in different ways by water; from its natural wonders to the urgent environmental questions, it raises. The concert showcases pieces written specifically for Livia and Iida, offering a unique perspective on the profound influence water (and also the lack of it) has on our world.

Mioko Yokoyama’s Agape for solo flute is inspired by the Mediterranean Sea. For Mioko, the sea represents a symbol of immense love and humanity. Her piece brings together three distinct sonic worlds: percussive sounds, breathy spoken tones, and the traditional voice of the flute. These elements come together in a rich, evolving tapestry that reflects her deep connection to the Mediterranean.

Ville Aslak Raasakka’s While Waves Don’t Wash on Dormant Waters (2023) for bass flute and electronics delves into the environmental issue of marine plastic pollution. Drawing from the research of marine biologist Pinja Näkki, Raasakka’s work uses hydrophone recordings from Vanhankaupunginlahti Bay, blending the sounds of plastic debris with the bass flute in a dialogue that transforms environmental data into musical elements like rhythm, texture, and movement.

The concert will also feature the premiere of Pohjaton by Turkka Inkilä, a new work for flute, cello, and electronics. This piece explores deep-sea soundscapes, medieval mysticism, and the psychological depth of the ocean. It addresses the growing concerns surrounding deep-sea mining, particularly its impact on marine life through noise pollution. As this industry develops, questions arise about how the noise from mining activities might disrupt marine mammal communication and migration. Pohjaton serves as an artistic meditation on these issues, offering a sonic exploration of the depths of the sea and our relationship with it.

The concert will last approximately one hour, providing an opportunity to reflect on the ocean’s beauty, fragility, and essential role in sustaining life on Earth.

Livia Schweizer (b.1994) is a flutist, improviser, and educator whose work explores how music and art can connect with the environment and foster communication across cultural and artistic boundaries. After graduating from the Conservatory of Livorno, Livia moved to Helsinki to study at the Sibelius Academy under Mikael Helasvuo, drawn by Finland’s contemporary music scene. In addition to her freelance work, she is a music teacher at the International School of Helsinki and a doctoral candidate at the Sibelius Academy. Her research focuses on using non-conventional notation to promote intercultural collaboration in contemporary music. Livia is passionate about interdisciplinary artistic projects that bring together improvisers, composers, and visual artists, particularly exploring collaborations inspired by the theme of the Ocean.

Iida-Vilhelmiina Sinivalo is a Helsinki-based freelance cellist who is particularly interested in the versatile expressive power offered by her instrument. She is currently delving into the subject area at the DocMus Doctoral School of the Sibelius Academy. Her approach to the instrument involves many different genres of music and thus seeks to expand the expressive overall image of the instrument. Sinivalo completed her Master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy in the Department of Classical Music, with Arto Noras and Timo Hanhinen as her main teachers, after which she has worked extensively as a non-genre musician and pedagogue.

Turkka Inkilä is a freelancer musician and a composer. His artistic focus is working between musical traditions and genres. Inkilä is a member of the groups Ánnámáret and Tölöläb, and performs solo with japanese shakuhachi. In addition to composing chamber music and electronic music he has also done music and sound design for Akse Petterssons plays.

Mioko Yokoyama is a Japanese composer based in Helsinki. After studying at Tokyo University of the Arts, she earned a second Master’s degree in composition at Sibelius Academy under Veli-Matti Puumala. She explores new timbres to surprise listeners and create enjoyable musical experiences. Her works have been commissioned by festivals and ensembles including IMPULS Festival (DE), Avanti! Summer Sounds (FI), Time of Music (FI), Gaudeamus (NL), Warsaw Autumn (PL), Tampere Biennale (FI), and Musica nova Helsinki (FI). She currently teaches at Sibelius Academy.

Ville Aslak Raasakka (b.1977) is a composer and Sibelius Academy and Critical Academy researcher focusing on ecological cases and bioacoustics. His composition are published by Universal Edition (Vienna), Donemus Publishing (The Hague) and he is represented by the Real Arts artist agency (Berlin).