The Art of Loving - New works from Finland

Helsingin kamarikuoro
Dani Juris, conductor

“Man – of all ages and cultures – is confronted with the solution of one and the same question; the question of how to overcome separateness, how to achieve union.”
– Erich Fromm

Jovanka Trbojevic (1963-2017) was working on The Art of Loving, a chamber opera based on texts by the philosopher Erich Fromm, when she died. Although the work remained incomplete, she managed to extract a concert version from her original plan which forms a musical entity in its own right. The Helsinki Chamber Choir is pleased finally to be able to give the work its long-delayed world premiere in these concerts conducted by Dani Juris, chorus director of the Berlin State Opera. The programme also features the world premieres of newly commissioned works by rising star Lara Poe and Juha T. Koskinen, whose Katoaminen (Disappearance) draws on his fascination with Japanese culture.

The work commissioned from composer Lara Poe explores the relationship between humans and nature in a reflective manner. It is part of the Helsinki Chamber Choir’s commissioning series, which invites young composers to create works that, in one way or another, address ecological thinking. One of the texts featured in the piece is A London Plane-Tree (1889) by Amy Levy, which presents the interaction between humans and nature in an intriguing way. Lara Poe, an American-Finnish composer at an exciting stage in her career, is someone from whom we are eager to hear new vocal music. Her musical language has convinced us that she can write for the professional choir as an instrument in a compelling and idiomatic way.

Juha T. Koskinen has composed an a cappella piece for the Helsinki Chamber Choir based on the poem Katoaminen (Disappearance) by Reetta Pekkanen. Pekkanen wrote this poem at the request of the composer.
 

In collaboration with: Jyväskylän seurakunta

Thu 9.10.2025 klo 19
Ritarihuone, Helsinki
Tickets: 25/22/15 € (Ticketmaster)

Fri 10.10.2025 klo 19
Taulumäen kirkko, Jyväskylä
Free entrance