Jazz pianist Juho Valjakka and jazz singer Josefiina Vannesluoma dive into their experiences with classical music and flute playing in their new duo project.
At the heart of Valjakka & Vannesluomaโs music, described as acoustic avant-garde, are listening, intuition, and playfulness. The French title En Soufflant (meaning โblowing, whisperingโ in Finnish) refers to the duoโs shared background as classical flutists. Their music contains references to flute playing through breathing phrases, flute-like tones, and inventive textures, where two bright-voiced soloists challenge the traditional singer-accompanist dynamic. The repertoire also draws inspiration from gems of classical flute music, with the concert featuring glimpses of a flute sonata that once moved a young heart, as well as a scat interpretation of a flutistโs articulation รฉtude....
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Jazz pianist Juho Valjakka and jazz singer Josefiina Vannesluoma dive into their experiences with classical music and flute playing in their new duo project.
At the heart of Valjakka & Vannesluomaโs music, described as acoustic avant-garde, are listening, intuition, and playfulness. The French title En Soufflant (meaning โblowing, whisperingโ in Finnish) refers to the duoโs shared background as classical flutists. Their music contains references to flute playing through breathing phrases, flute-like tones, and inventive textures, where two bright-voiced soloists challenge the traditional singer-accompanist dynamic. The repertoire also draws inspiration from gems of classical flute music, with the concert featuring glimpses of a flute sonata that once moved a young heart, as well as a scat interpretation of a flutistโs articulation รฉtude.
Juho Valjakka is a pianist and composer specializing in jazz and improvised music, fascinated by artistic ambiguity and the possibilities of undefined expression. In addition to his critically acclaimed Juho Valjakka Trio, which has been nominated for a Jazz Emma award, he has performed with several of Finlandโs leading jazz ensembles, including UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, LassyโEskola Nordic Stew, and Riikka Kerรคnen.
Josefiina Vannesluoma, originally from Turku, is a singer and composer who has received no less than three Jazz Emma nominations. Her artistic expression reflects an interest in interdisciplinary art and diverse musical cultures. In addition to leading Mortal Lease, she also directs Signe, a vocal ensemble with an unusual instrumentation of four voices and a double bass. Vannesluomaโs clear high register is also heard in Mikko Sarvanne Garden, the winner of the 2023 Teosto Prize.
Juho Valjakka: pianoJosefiina Vannesluoma: vocals, flute
Photo: Nawras Odda
The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.
Jazzpianisti Juho Valjakka ja jazzlaulaja Josefiina Vannesluoma sukeltavat uudessa duoprojektissaan klassisen musiikin sekรค huilunsoiton kokemuksiinsa
Valjakka & Vannesluoman akustiseksi avantgardeksi luonnehdittavan musiikin ytimessรค ovat kuuntelu, intuitio ja leikki. Konseptin ranskankielinen nimi En Soufflant (suom. puhaltaen, kuiskaten) viittaa kaksikkoa yhdistรคvรครคn taustaan klassisina poikkihuilisteina. Musiikissa kuullaan viittauksia huilunsoittoon niin hengittรคvissรค fraaseissa, huilumaisissa soinneissa kuin kekseliรคissรค tekstuureissa, joissa kaksi kirkasรครคnistรค solistia haastavat perinteisen laulaja-sรคestรคjรค -asetelman. Innoituksena ovat toimineet myรถs klassisen huiluohjelmiston helmet, ja konsertissa kuullaankin hรคivรคhdyksiรค mm. nuorta sydรคntรค liikauttaneesta huilusonaatista sekรค scat-laulutulkintaa huilistin kielitysetydistรค.
Juho Valjakka on jazz- ja improvisoituun musiikkiin keskittynyt pianisti ja sรคveltรคjรค, jota kiehtoo taiteessa mรครคrittelemรคttรถmyys ja ambiguiteetin mahdollisuudet. Jazz Emma -ehdokkuudella huomioidun Juho Valjakka Trion ohella hรคntรค on voinut kuulla useiden kotimaisen jazzin huippuyhtyeiden riveissรค, mm. UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, LassyโEskola Nordic Stew sekรค Riikka Kerรคnen.
Josefiina Vannesluoma on turkulaissyntyinen, perรคti kolmella Jazz Emma -ehdokkuudella huomioitu laulaja ja sรคveltรคjรค. Vannesluoman ilmaisussa kuuluvat kiinnostus poikkitaiteellisuuteen ja eri musiikkikulttuureja kohtaan. Hรคn luotsaa Mortal Leasen lisรคksi poikkeuksellisen instrumentaation โ neljรคn รครคnen ja kontrabasson โ muodostamaa vokaaliyhtye Signeรค. Vannesluoman kuulasta ylรคrekisteriรค kuullaan myรถs Teosto-palkinnon 2023 voittaneessa Mikko Sarvanne Garden -yhtyeessรค.
Juho Valjakka: pianoJosefiina Vannesluoma: laulu, huilu
Kuva: Nawras Odda
Konserttia tukevat Helsingin kaupunki, Svenska Kulturfonden ja Musiikki Suomi LIVE (Musiikin edistรคmissรครคtiรถ).
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