VIULUT: Vänskä and Veltheim
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Friday, 2 May 2025
10:30 am
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Embassy of Finland
12 Darwin Ave, Yarralumla ACT 2600
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In Association with
Performances at 10.30am and at 12pm
An up-close and personal encounter with two of our most beloved Finnish-Australian violinists. Satu and Erkki together present a series of works that reflect on their personal creative and cultural identities.
Satu Vänskä, born in Japan to Finnish parents, began violin at three. After moving to Finland at ten, she studied at Lahti Conservatorium, Sibelius Academy, and in Munich with Ana Chumachenco. Now Principal Violin of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, she performs on the 1726 “Belgiorno” Stradivarius. She has performed globally with artists such as Radu Lupu and Heinrich Schiff.
Erkki Veltheim, born in Finland in 1976, is an Australian composer and performer. Commissioned by major festivals and orchestras, his works have been performed worldwide. He composed orchestral works for Gurrumul’s award-winning album Djarimirri and has arranged music for artists like Archie Roach and Kate Miller-Heidke. Veltheim has performed with ensembles including the Australian Art Orchestra, ACO, Berlin Philharmonic and Ensemble Modern.
Program
Kaija Saariaho, Aure for violin and viola
Improvisation Solo viola
Jean Sibelius, Cadenza from Violin Concerto
Improvisation Solo violin/electronics
Aulis Sallinen, Cadenze for Solo Violin
Improvisation Electric violin
Traditional Tuoll’ on mun kultani (There is my Sweetheart)
Kaija Saariaho, Nocturne
Kaija Saariaho, Danse des flocons I & II
Artists
Satu Vänskä, violin
Erkki Veltheim, violin/viola
Duration: 50min, no interval. This event includes refreshments compliments of the Embassy of Finland.
ARTIST Learn more about the artist
Artist Satu Vänskä - violin
Born to a Finnish family in Japan, violinist Satu Vänskä has developed an international profile through her role as Principal Violin with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, a position that she has held for the past twenty years. In that time Satu has both directed and performed as soloist with the ACO, an ensemble regarded as one of the greatest chamber orchestras in the world, hailed for its striking virtuosity and innovative programming.
Satu’s development of solo violin projects is reflective of her desire to continually evolve as a musician and to courageously embrace new musical challenges. She has a passion for dynamic programming that explores the link between old and new music, alongside presenting boundary-blurring cross-genre collaborations, that resonate with today’s classical music audiences.
Artist Erkki Veltheim - composer/performer
Erkki Veltheim is an Australian/Finnish composer and performer. His practice spans noise, audiovisual installation, improvisation, notated music, electroacoustic composition, pop arrangements and cross-disciplinary performance. Erkki has been commissioned by the Adelaide Festival, Vivid Festival, Australian Art Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Musica nova Helsink and composed the orchestral works for celebrated Australian indigenous musician Gurrumul’s posthumous album Djarimirri.
Photo by Aaron Chua