Flyygelikuu – Jenni Ristilä – Independence Day preparty

December's Flyygelikuu concert celebrates Independence Day with Finnish music.

DANCING WOMAN – Piano Compositions by Finnish Women

At the concert, pianist Jenna Ristilä performs Finnish women's dance-themed and dance-inspired piano pieces. The program is a versatile overview of women's compositions from the 19th century to the present day.

Get to know, among others, the first Finnish woman to publish compositions under her own name, Nathalia Berg, the founder of the Helsinki Women's Orchestra and Pro Finlandia medallist Heidi Sundblad-Halme, multi-generational artist Carita Holmström, who also represented Finland at Eurovision, and many more.

Pianist Jenna Ristilä conducts artistic research as a PhD student at Uniarts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy on of Finnish composer women from the 19th century to the present day. "The Dancing Woman" is her third doctoral concert. In addition to research, she mostly works with singers and also performs chamber music and solo repertoires.

PROGRAMME:

Nathalia Berg (1817–1875):
Fantasy and Waltz (1851)

Heidi Sundblad-Halme (1903–1973):
Tango elegiaco from ballet Enchanted Belt, Op. 21 (1937)
Danse drolatique Op. 4/4 (ca. 1933)

Laura Netzel (1839–1927):
3 Humoresques for Piano Op. 26 (1889)
1. Andante
2. Allegro
3. Allegro

Brita von Troil (1902–1990):
Skogsrået dansar (1953)

Elisabeth von Tiesenhausen-Forstén (1896–1963):
Valse mignonne Op. 4 (?)
Valse lente Op. 4 (?)

Carita Holmström (1954–):
Imaginary Dances (2013)
3. Surrender – A timid menuet
Mina Boije (1818–1873):
Antonio: Valse gracieuse (1871)

WOMEN IN CONCERT:

Most of the composers' information is based on Susanna Välimäki and Nuppu Koivisto-Kaasik's groundbreaking book, Sävelten tyttäret: suomalaiset säveltäjänaiset 1800-luvulta 1900-luvulle [Daughters of Music: Finnish women composers from the nineteenth to the twentieth century] (SKS 2023). A warm thank you to Susanna and Nuppu also for sharing their sheet music – many of the works in this concert could not have been performed without their work.