The opening of the Espa Stage – Iris Kukka | Sväng | Anna Inginmaa

The 2024 summer season of the Espa Stage will start on Thursday, 16 May at 17–20! The opening ceremony will serve a delicious mix of Finnish electropop, harmonica music and vocal jazz. Admission to events at the Espa Stage is always free!

at 5 pm Iris Kukka

Iris Kukka is a distinctive new generation artist whose soul overflows with poetically ethereal and earthy indie electropop. Her songs are based on the texts and poems she writes.
Iris Kukka will soon publish her second long play album, which was produced by Risto Ylihärsilä.

“It’s a therapy album or a side product of my own therapy journey, and it has healed me at least to the same extent as psychotherapy. In other words, Kivutar, the goddess of pain, and Suvetar, the goddess of spring, take each other’s hands and travel from the darkness into the light.

The album involves mistakes, fumbling, reflection on values, empowerment and the discovery of self and community. The album’s sources of inspiration include Finnish folklore, the forests of Nuuksio and my own pilgrimages to the Valamo Monastery,” says Iris Kukka.

at 6 pm Sväng

Harmonica quartet Sväng has already toured the world for 20 years. On the Espa Stage, the ensemble will play a cross-section of some of their own, newer music without forgetting favourite classics from along the years.

With their uncompromising artistic policy and trailblazing research and development work, the ensemble has increased the appreciation of this undervalued musical instrument around the world, from Mexico to Japan and China.

The special composition of the ensemble – two vocalists, a rare Harmonetta chord harmonica and a bass harmonica – create a sound that is inimitable. The repertoire of the ensemble is also unique: their musical roots lie deep in Finnish folk music and even a little in the Balkans. The programme segues smoothly from folk music to world music to tango and Sibelius as well as other composers.

The concert is part of the Meidän Uusimaa concert series supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Uusimaa Regional Fund.

at 7 pm Anna Inginmaa

Anna Inginmaa rose to the public consciousness a few years ago with the critically acclaimed Röyhkä/Inginmaa/Hypnomen album. Inginmaa is a distinctive artist who makes Finnish-language, lyrical vocal jazz. Sensitive, soulful interpretation blends with the musical synergy of the ensemble. The concert will include Inginmaa’s own jazz music with the addition of a few works composed by Carola.

Ensemble:
Anna Inginmaa, vocals
Arto Ikävalko, piano
Joonas Tuuri, string bass
Ville Luukkonen, drums

The concert is part of the Meidän Uusimaa concert series supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Uusimaa Regional Fund.