THURSDAY AUG 8th at 7 p.m.
Sibeliustalo
Urkuja ja sirkushuveja
Michał Szostak, urut
Atte Kilpinen, balettitanssija
Sirkusartistit:
Milja Jaskari
Lukas Peurala
Ada Sainio
Salla Santanen
Mika Seppälä
PROGRAM
The eulogy for the former director of the Lahti Organ Festival, organ artist Kalevi Kiviniemi (1958-2024), will be delivered by the current director of the Lahti Organ Festival, Pauli Pietiläinen.
Prelude, Fuge and Ciaccona in C Major, BuxWV 137
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
PLUS Unicycle / Lukas Peurala
Italian Concerto: Allegro-Andante-Allegro, improvisation
Passacaglia in C Minor, J.S. Bach (1685-1750), BWV 582
PLUS Pair acrobatics/dance partnering / Salla & Mika
Voluntary in A minor, John Robinson (1682-1762)
Allegro con brio from 5th Symphony, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Op. 67
PLUS Atte ballet
VÄLIAIKA • INTERVAL
Boléro de concert, Louis-James-Alfred Lefébure-Wély (1813-1869), Op. 166
PLUS Cyr Wheel / Milja Jaskari
Andante « Chœur de Voix humaines », L.J.A. Lefébure-Wély (1817-1869), Op. 122/7
PLUS Handstand / Ada Sainio
Sortie in E flat major, L’Organiste moderne 11/1, L.J.A. Lefébure-Wély (1813-1869)
Arabesque from 24 Pieces en Style Libre, Louis Vierne (1870-1937), Op. 31
11 Finnish Symphonic Suite: Prelude-Cantabile-Toccata, improvisation
Tickets 35€ *
* + subscription fees (from 1.50 € / order www.lippu.fi) and an hour before the door.
Michał Szostak began studying the organ at the age of 17 in Warsaw, Poland. He graduated from the Józef Elsner Public School of Music in Warsaw, where he studied organ under Dr. Roman Szlaużys and organ improvisation under Prof. Marian Sawa. In February 2019, he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in instrumental music, specializing in organ performance. Szostak is an international concert organist, regularly performing concerts around the world. Michał Szostak also teaches organ improvisation, among other subjects.
Since 2013, he has been a member of The Royal College of Organists based in London, and since 2014 (as the first Pole), he has received a certificate (certRCO) from this organization. Since 2017, he has been a member of The American Guild of Organists based in New York and, since 2018, a member of The Organ Historical Society based in the USA. He is also the founder and (from 2014 to 2023) the president of the Jan Drzewoski Foundation, which dealt with various organ-related issues.
From 2002 to 2011, Michał Szostak was an organist at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Warsaw. From 2011 to 2018, he served as the music director and chief organist at the Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary in Lichen Stary. In 2017, he wrote the book ”The Licheń Organ in Relation to the Largest Instruments in Poland, Europe, and the World” and recorded a CD, ”Ave Regina Caelorum,” featuring improvisations on the largest organ in Poland (in the basilica in Licheń Stary – available on eBay). In 2018, he recorded a second CD in the basilica in Licheń Stary. Since May 2024, he has been an Associate Professor at Collegium Civitas, and since June 2024, he has been the Vice-Rector for Science.
Atte Kilpinen is a Finnish dance artist, choreographer, and principal soloist with the Finnish National Ballet. Kilpinen joined the ranks of the Finnish National Ballet after graduating in 2015 and has taken on principal and soloist roles while also serving as an assistant choreographer.
From 2020 to 2022, Kilpinen danced with the Hamburg Ballet, where he was promoted to soloist by John Neumeier in 2021. In addition to Neumeier, Kilpinen has performed works by numerous renowned and significant choreographers throughout his career, including Carolyn Carlson, Alexander Ekman, Marco Goecke, Kenneth Greve, Marjo Kuusela, Jirí Kylián, Tero Saarinen, and Jorma Uotinen. He has also made guest appearances with various groups and theaters, such as Susanna Leinonen Company, Pori Dance Company, Jojo – Oulu Dance Center, Turku City Theater, and Tero Saarinen Company.
In 2019, Kilpinen received the Outi and Jan Vapaavuori Foundation Award. In April 2020, his choreography premiered at the Helsinki Music Centre with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, interpreting composer Sergei Prokofiev’s chamber music piece Quintet Op. 39. This solo piece was later broadcast on YLE that same year.
Milja Jaskari is a circus artist who graduated from Salpaus Circus Artist Training. Her specialties are the cyr wheel and aerial hoop. As a performer, Milja is inspired by courage and the connection with her apparatus. She likes to emphasize strength, fluidity, and purity in her movements.
In her cyr wheel act, Milja combines delicate movement language with strong technical skills. She aims to break the boundaries of femininity and masculinity in her performances.
The piece I will perform to is ”Boléro de concert” by Louis-James-Alfred Lefébure-Wély (1813-1869). The photo was taken by Kaito Takayama.
Lukas Peurala is a circus artist from Lappeenranta. His main disciplines are unicycling and group acrobatics.
On stage, Lukas will be performing on a unicycle. He has a unique style in unicycling, exploring dance-like qualities through object manipulation and off-balance positions.
Ada Sainio is a circus artist specializing in handstands and group acrobatics. She graduated from the circus artist program at Salpaus and pursues her profession with great passion. In her handstand routines, Ada makes the most of her long limbs and sometimes finds herself in a knot.
Performance piece: Andante « Chœur de Voix humaines », L.J.A. Lefébure-Wély (1817-1869), op. 122/7. The photo was taken by Kaito Takayama.
In addition to being a circus artist, Salla Santanen is a professionally trained dancer and dance teacher, with extensive experience in contemporary dance. She specializes in aerial hoop and dance partnering. Over the past eight years, Santanen has focused her artistic work particularly on interdisciplinary productions and has performed as a freelancer in numerous groups and productions.
These include the Kuhmo Dance Festival, cruise productions by NYAS production company, various events, multiple productions at SUPER Theatre, the video installation “Satakieli” by visual artist Silja Puranen, the Berlin Circus Festival, Tupacircus Company, the contemporary dance event Lokatanssit, and many other circus and dance productions in Finland, France, and Germany.
In addition to grant-funded and freelance projects, Santanen performs as an aerial acrobat and dancer at private events and functions. Since 2020, she has also served on the board of the Artist Association Hiljaisuus.
Circus artist Mika Seppälä has a long background in capoeira, which strongly influences his movement, improvisational skills, and ability to create movement material. In addition, Seppälä is proficient in playing several instruments and has been actively involved in band and gig activities.
In his solo works, he has combined acrobatics, comedy, juggling, and music. Seppälä is particularly interested in bringing dance-like fluidity and softness to acrobatics, as well as exploring the illusions and movement paths of juggling props in relation to each other and the body. He specializes in staff juggling, where he also incorporates LED technology.
He has performed in productions at the Lahti City Theatre, cruise productions and events by NYAS production company, various productions at SUPER Theatre, numerous cultural centers, and the Lahti Children’s Cultural Center’s Circus Efektos tour.