Nordic Conference for Choral Conductors | 4–6 October, 2024 | Helsinki Music Centre
Choirs and Conductors
We are proud to present you the performers of the Nordic Conference for Choral Conductors 2024 concerts.
Choirs
Euga
Euga Male Voice Choir, formed in July 2011 by young musicians from Turku and Tampere, aimed to fill a void in the Finnish choir scene. They envisioned a unified male choir transcending city borders, blending talent and ambition. Over the years, despite member changes, about two dozen singers have upheld this vision. Euga’s productions feature a diverse repertoire, from contemporary pieces to classics, accompanied and a cappella, spanning the Middle Ages to modern times. Collaborations with esteemed musicians and orchestras, including premiering works by composers like Seppo Pohjola and Jukka Linkola, mark milestones in Euga’s journey.
From winning competitions like the Cornwall International Male Choral Festival in 2013 to representing Finland in televised concerts in Vienna, Euga has excelled on global stages. Victories at festivals like the Bratislava Choir Festival in 2018 and invitations to events like the Aachen Chorbiennale in 2019 further solidify Euga’s reputation. During and after challenges brought on by the pandemic, Euga’s resilience shines through and the choir has demonstrated its commitment to musical excellence by placing first in the Erik Fordell Grand Prix in 2020 and receiving the second prize, with first place in the ‘Equal Voices’ category, in the Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition in 2023.
Lyran
Female Voice Choir Lyran is one of Finland’s top female choirs. The student choir represents the University of Helsinki and the Student Union of the University of Helsinki. Founded in 1946, Lyran is a modern and highly accomplished female choir with its roots in the Swedish-speaking Finnish tradition. Rehearsals, concerts, recordings and quartet performances are all examples of the choir’s activities.
Lyran has a wide repertoire and is not afraid to take on new challenges - in recent years, the choir has pushed its boundaries across many different genres and actively collaborated with other choirs and musicians. Lyran’s repertoire is being continuously developed and extended with commissioned pieces and arrangements created by both Finnish and foreign composers, and the choir takes pride in hiring young soloists and instrumentalists.
Sibelius-lukion kamarikuoro
Sibelius-lukion kamarikuoro (The Sibelius Upper Secondary School Chamber Choir) is one of the most significant Finnish youth choirs. The choir performs with a diverse repertoire, ranging from advanced classical music to rhythmic and folk music. Besides performing a challenging choir repertoire, all the choir members also play one or several instruments. The Chamber Choir tours regularly abroad and has won several prizes in national and international choir competitions. In 2023, at the 17th International Choir Festival in Tallinn, the choir was awarded the Grand Prix, alongside the first prize in both youth choir and folk song categories.
Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble
Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble Vokis consists of 16 professional singers. It is the most important tool for choir conducting students. The ensemble serves as an instrument for studies and exam concerts. Conducting students perform with Vokis 3-4 times a year. In addition to public degree concerts, Vocis occasionally performs in their own concerts outside the university.
Conductors
Visa Yrjölä
Visa Yrjölä received his Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the Sibelius Academy (University of the Arts, Helsinki) in 2018. He has also done exchange studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. Besides being the artistic leader of the Euga Male Voice Choir, he conducts the Kaamos Chamber Choir and the Helsinki Academic Male Choir KYL. He has served as a guest conductor in projects with several Finnish groups including Key Ensemble and Somnium Ensemble.
Yrjölä has attended several masterclasses organized by Tenso, the European Network for Professional Chamber Choirs, working with Cappella Amsterdam, the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the Netherlands Chamber Choir, the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir, and the Croatian Radiotelevision Choir. He has also attended a masterclass with the Rundfunkchor Berlin. In 2013, the Tampere Vocal Music Festival awarded Visa Yrjölä a special prize for a young and promising conductor, and in June 2018, he was awarded the best conductor’s prize at the Bratislava Choir Festival. The Finnish radio channel Radio Classic awarded him the Tempo Award for young musicians in the conductors’ category in 2019.
Riku Laurikka
Riku Laurikka (b. 1994 began his tenure as the artistic director of the Academic Female Choir Lyran in January 2023. Additionally, he serves as the leader of the Sällskapet Muntra Musikanter, Wiipurilaisen Osakunnan Laulajat, and the project-based vocal ensemble Vires Ensemble. Laurikka has also worked as a choir master for the Helsinki Opera. Alongside his choral conducting duties, he is actively involved as a singer in several professional music groups in the capital region.
Laurikka has the following thoughts on his work as a choral conductor: "My task is to ignite the enthusiasm among the singers to achieve common musical goals. I require each singer to commit to making music in the moment. Singing in a choir is a team sport, where spontaneous interaction must function seamlessly for us to access true musical creativity."
Maija Laurinsilta
Maija Laurinsilta is a versatile Helsinki-based choir conductor and musician. Laurinsilta has a master’s degree in music pedagogy from the University of the Arts in Helsinki (2020), and she has also completed a choir conducting degree in the church music programme, having studied under Jani Sivén and Heikki Liimola. Currently, alongside working, she complements her studies in orchestra conducting at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences. At the 17th International Choir Festival in Tallinn, she was awarded the special prize for conductor.
In addition to conducting, music arranging and teaching, Laurinsilta actively performs as a freelance violinist and singer, particularly with the vocal group Flok.