KAIKU / écho
French-Finnish Chamber Ensemble

The chamber music series KAIKU / écho combines the youthful energy of Nordic and French contemporary music with classical masterpieces, using innovative concert concepts, and intertwining different art forms to create a singular experience. The performers include leading Finnish and French artists of various generations, whose artistry and passion for music resonate across our countries.

The three-concert series will showcase some of Finland’s leading artists, such as actress Kati Outinen, celebrated for her roles in the Kaurismäki films, the concert master of Paris Opera Petteri Iivonen, Vienna-based soprano Aurora Marthens, as well as 17-year old Finnish-French violinist Fredrika Mikkola.

Artistic Director Ossi Tanner, who leads the Kamarikesä Festival at the House of Nobility in Helsinki, sees many parallels between his work at the festival and his role with KAIKU / écho at the institute:

”Kamarikesä’s mission is to promote young, gifted Finnish musicians while also inviting leading young professionals and competition winners from abroad to perform in Finland. Our alumni include musicians, such as Klaus Mäkelä and Tarmo Peltokoski. For them, and for many others in our 20-year old history, Kamarikesä was their first experience of working and performing professionally. This is a unique experience for both the musicians and the public, and I hope KAIKU captures a similar, inspiring and fresh spirit.”

On 14 February 2025, Kaiku opens with Messiaen’s iconic Quartet for the End of Time, paired with young Finnish composer Tara Valkonen’s piano trio lent, dans le noir. Dedicated to Kaija Saariaho, the piece was premiered back in 2023, just weeks after her passing. 

”Lent, dans le noir rose from one single idea — to create momentum. The composition in itself is very simple and naked, which leaves the performers an enormous responsibility both with the interpretation and expressiveness,” – says Tara Valkonen.

The second concert delves into Finnish culture and nature, featuring music by Sibelius and Sebastian Fagerlund, combined with poetry of J. L. Runeberg, and a one of a kind video installation inspired by Lapland’s nature.

The series concludes with a collaboration between both young and experienced Finnish and French musicians, exploring Nordic contemporary string quartet repertoire. Ravel’s String Quartet in F major will honor the composer’s 150th anniversary.

Chamber music concert series in 2025-2026 at the Finnish Institute, in collaboration with Kamarikesä Festival, Helsinki.

Artistic direction: Ossi Tanner, pianist and artistic director at Kamarikesä.

 

KAIKU / écho n°1 : From Darkness Towards Light

Friday, February 14th, 2025 at 7pm

Kaiku at the Institute opens with music by Tara Valkonen and Olivier Messiaen. Artistic Director Ossi Tanner is joined by Paris Opera concertmaster Petteri Iivonen, French award-winning cellist Yan Levionnois, and Professor Harri Mäki from the Sibelius Academy.

The concert begins with a video greeting from Finnish-Ukrainian journalist and pianist Justas Stasevskij, speaking from Kyiv. Lent, dans le noir, composed by Tara Valkonen in honor of the late Kaija Saariaho, follows. The program concludes with Olivier Messiaen’s iconic Quartet for the End of Time, written in 1941 in a Nazi prison camp.

Click here to buy tickets (limited number of seats).

Program:

Petteri Iivonen, violin
Harri Mäki, clarinet
Yan Leviennois, cello
Ossi Tanner, piano

Justas Stasevskij, interviewed by Ossi Tanner (10-15min)

Tara Valkonen (b. 1999): Lent, dans le noir for piano trio (7 min)

Intermission

Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992): Quartet for the End of Time (50 min)

I Liturgie de cristal
II Vocalise, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du temps
III Abîme des oiseaux
IV Intermède
V Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus
VI Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes
VII Fouillis d’arcs-en-ciel, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du temps
VIII Louange à l’Immortalité de Jésus

 

The musicians:

Ossi Tanner is artistic director and pianist in our new chamber music series KAIKU / écho in collaboration with Kamarikesä Festival, as part of our program Hors Pistes / Paths Less Travelled at Institut finlandais. 

Helsingin Sanomat calls him a romantic virtuoso, while Aamulehti praises his Beethoven interpretation as one of an experienced master. Almost unanimously, critics have named Ossi Tanner a piano poet whose touch is at the same time heavy but soft, bright, singing, inspired, and imaginative – in a word, lyrical. 

As a soloist, Tanner frequently visits nearly all of Finland’s most respected orchestras, such as the Helsinki Phil, Finnish Radio, and Tampere Philharmonic. He has worked with renowned conductors from Sakari Oramo to Joshua Weilerstein, Nicholas Collon, and Eiji Oue, Klaus Mäkelä to Hannu Lintu, Tarmo Peltokoski and Susanna Mälkki. From 2021, Tanner has been the Artistic Director of the Kamarikesä Festival held at the House of Nobility in Helsinki together with Abel Puustinen and Klaara Vasara.

You can read more on Ossi Tanner’s web site.


Harri Mäki is a Finnish clarinetist. Throughout his career, he has performed as both a soloist and a chamber musician across Europe, the Far East, North America, and South America and has been a sought-after clarinetist at music festivals worldwide. He has collaborated artistically with composers such as Magnus Lindberg, Kaija Saariaho, Minna Leinonen, Matilda Seppälä, Eero Hämeeniemi, Helmut Lachenmann, Matthew Whittall, and Anders Hillborg, and has premiered numerous works for clarinet, including concertos dedicated to him by Juhani Nuorvala and Kirmo Lintinen. Harri Mäki is also a professor, and actively supports young musicians through his various roles with national cultural foundations. Since 2016, he has been the Professor of Woodwinds at the Sibelius Academy. 

You can read more on Harri Mäki’s website.


Petteri Iivonen has been praised for his “control and emotional sensitivity” and “colorful details and thoughtful phrasing” (Helsingin Sanomat). Silver Medalist and Special Prize winner at the 10th International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, Iivonen has performed as a soloist with all of the major Finnish orchestras, and has played with numerous international orchestras. He has appeared as a soloist with esteemed conductors such as Klaus Mäkelä, Lahav Shani, Giancarlo Guerrero, Sakari Oramo, Yoav Talmi, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Okko Kamu, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Leif Segerstam, John Storgards, Vello Pähn, Hannu Lintu, among others. Mr. Iivonen is currently following in the footsteps of great violinists of the past as the Premier Violon Solo of the Opéra National de Paris

More information on Petteri Iivonen’s website.

 

Winner of some of the most prestigious international cello competitions, such as the Rostropovich and Queen Elisabeth competitions, Yan Levionnois stands out for his curious mind that pushes him to diversify his artistic experiences. He has shared the stage with artists from all backgrounds and has performed as a soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France and the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, under the direction of conductors such as Heinrich Schiff, Daniele Gatti and Dimitry Sitkovetsky. He also regularly participates as section leader in the conductorless ensemble Les Dissonances, tackling with them the great orchestral pages, from Beethoven’s symphonies to the works of Stravinsky, Bartók and Ravel. 

More information on Yan Levionnois’ website.

Click here to buy tickets (limited number of seats).