Ameriikan Poijat – Finnish American Brass Band – 2 PM Matinee Sunday October 16, 2016

finnishamericanbrassbandPolkas. Schottisches, Waltzes and Hymns- Something for everybody! The repertoire of Ameriikan Poijat is derived directly from original hand manuscript sources to be found among Finnish bands and archives. Waltzes, schottisches, polkas, mazurkas, polonaises, and other social dances are well represented in the old books. Distinctly Finnish dances included are the jenkka, humppa, and the Finnish version of “tango.” As a part of the amateur brass band movement in Finland, such prominent composers as Sibelius and Madetoja contributed concert repertoire, and numerous transcriptions were made of standard orchestral music. Many of the concert pieces for brass septet were commissioned to be performed at large national music festivals. During the past decade, when the Finnish septet has been enjoying a revival, modern Finnish composers and arrangers have contributed many new works to the septet.

Although Finnish brass septet music bears the shadows of Russian, Swedish, and German influences, its Finnish sound is unmistakable. Through contact with septet players in Finland, we realize that our playing style may differ a bit from native performers, but their enthusiasm for our renditions has been gratifying. We play with a “foreign accent.” The more we interact with our Finnish musical colleagues, the more authentic we sound! The septet repertoire is colorful, well crafted, full of history, and a very satisfying medium for learning about an ethnic and musical heritage.

Tickets $10 Ticket link

Website: http://ameriikanpoijat.org/

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