Ave maris stella - Tähden lempeen lailla

Piae Cantiones-song collection by Heikki Klemetti, transl. Heikki Klemetti, arr. Eino 

Linnala 

First published in 1582, Piae Cantiones is the most significant collection of medieval and Renaissance Latin songs from Finland and the Nordic region, originally compiled for schoolboys and still widely performed today as a cornerstone of choral music.

Heikki Klemetti (1876–1953) was a pioneering Finnish choral conductor, composer and critic who fundamentally shaped the nation's choral music tradition, most notably as the choral conductor of the renowned Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat (YL) male choir and as a key arranger and translator of the historic Piae Cantiones hymns. Eino Linnala (1896-1973) was a Finnish music educator, composer, and choral conductor who arranged several Piae Cantiones melodies, originally published by Heikki Klemetti, for female choirs.

Kosketa minua henki - "Touch Me, O Spirit"

comp. Ilkka Kuusisto, lyr. Pia Perkiö, arr. Marita Kaakinen

This Finnish hymn is widely loved for its simplicity and intimate, prayerful tone, often sung e.g. during confirmation services and funerals.

The hymn is a humble prayer asking the Holy Spirit for clarity, courage, and a sense of purpose in a confusing world. It seeks the strength to overcome fear and the wisdom to see how one can best serve as a friend to others. Ultimately, it is a song of gratitude that focuses on living a life guided by grace and the presence of the divine.

Ilkka Kuusisto (1933-2025) was one of Finland's most prominent and prolific contemporary composers, celebrated for his extensive operas, versatile choral music, and distinguished career as the General Director of the Finnish National Opera. Pia Perkiö (1944-) is a Finnish author, poet, and journalist widely recognized for her evocative children's literature, poetry, and her extensive work as a lyricist for numerous beloved hymns and spiritual songs.

The arranger Marita Kaakinen (1976-) is a Finnish choral conductor, composer and music educator known for her dedication to directing diverse vocal ensembles and promoting choral music traditions in Finland.

Suojelusenkeli - "Guardian Angel"

comp. Marita Kaakinen, lyr. Hilja Aaltonen

Written by the poet and evangelist Hilja Aaltonen (1907-2013) and composed by Marita Kaakinen, this song is a Finnish prayer for a child's safety.

The lyrics depict a mother reassuring her child that they are never alone, as a "white angel" watches over them from the starlight and guards them during the perils of play. The prayer asks the guardian angel to stay close as the child's steps lead them further away from their mother's arms into the wider world. It concludes as a plea for constant companionship, asking that the child always remains sheltered and safe beneath the angel's protective wings.

Ave Maria 2

comp. Kathryn Chomik Parrota

Kathryn Chomik Parrotta is a Canadian choral conductor, composer, and music educator widely recognized for her expressive, deeply text-driven vocal works that feature rich harmonies and beautiful melodic lines.

Alleluja

from musical Sound of music, comp. Richard Rogers

In The Sound of Music, Alleluia is a brief but deeply moving a cappella choral piece composed by Richard Rodgers (1933-2021) for the nuns of Nonnberg Abbey, serving as a solemn, liturgical backdrop that beautifully showcases the composer's versatility beyond traditional musical theatre showtunes.

On suuri sun rantas autius - "Great is the Desolation of Your Shore"

traditional Finnish folk melody, lyr. V.A.Koskenniemi, arr. Matti Hyökki

This beautiful and melancholic classic Finnish song, originally a poem by V.A. Koskenniemi, is one of Finland's most beloved songs about longing. The song reflects the deep connection between the harsh Northern landscape and the human soul. It is a song of longing and nostalgia, where a desolate lakeshore becomes a mirror for the narrator's inner world and lost youth.

The lyrics describe a vast, deserted shore where the lonely cry of a wild duck in the reeds serves as a powerful metaphor for abandonment and grief. The narrator recalls weeping their first sorrows by these gray waves, forever binding their youth to this rugged, unforgiving scenery. Despite the coldness and emptiness of the place, the image is deeply etched into the narrator's heart, turning a scene of desolation into an object of profound longing.

Matti Hyökki (1946-) is an eminent Finnish choral conductor and professor emeritus at the Sibelius Academy, renowned for leading world-class choirs like the YL Male Voice Choir and training generations of choral musicians. V. A. Koskenniemi (1885–1962) was one of Finland's most influential 20th-century poets, writers, and professors of literary history, best known for his patriotic, neo-romantic poetry and as the lyricist behind Jean Sibelius's immortal Finlandia Hymn.

Rakkaudesta - " About love", Five poems by Saima Harmaja

comp. Elina Majuri, lyr. Saima Harmaja

The composition consists of five parts, out of which parts one, two and five will be performed in the concert.

Onnellinen aamu - "Happy Morning"

The poem celebrates a bright April morning where the beauty of the waking spring surpasses even the narrator's happiest dreams. A returning songbird acts as a romantic messenger, carrying a "love song" through the radiant morning air. It concludes with a plea for the bird to fly to a beloved's window and whisper a simple, heartfelt confession: "I love you."

Haavoittumaton - "Invulnerable"

The lyrics describe happiness as a quiet, delicate force that arrives so stealthily it makes all past pain feel distant and lifeless. Through a deep physical and spiritual connection with a loved one, the narrator experiences a rare sense of wholeness and safety. In this fleeting, radiant moment, even the most vulnerable heart feels completely "invulnerable" and protected from the world.

Sidottu - "Bound"

This poem explores the profound contradiction of love, describing it as a "sacred imprisonment" where being bound to another person actually grants the soul its greatest freedom. Although love is depicted as a cage it acts as a spiritual lens that allows the narrator to see beyond physical limits and understand the hidden mysteries of existence. Ultimately, the beloved's heart—once a boundary for the narrator's steps—expands to become the beating heart of the entire universe.

Elina Majuri is an accomplished Finnish choral conductor, composer, and music educator highly regarded for her expressive, singer-friendly choral works and her passionate dedication to children's, youth, and female choir music. Saima Harmaja (1913–1937) was a highly gifted Finnish poet who, despite her tragic death from tuberculosis at just 23 years old, left a profound legacy of intensely emotional poetry that captures both the ecstatic joy of youth and the heartbreaking fragility of life.

Wild Swans

comp. Elina Majuri, lyr. Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950) was an American poet and playwright who became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, celebrated for her masterful sonnets, fiercely independent spirit, and candid exploration of modern female sexuality and youth.

Lullaby of birdland

comp. George Shearing, lyr. Georg David Weiss, arr. Pekka Nikula

Composed by George Shearing with lyrics by George David Weiss, Lullaby of Birdland is a sophisticated 1952 jazz standard that pays tribute to the famous New York jazz club Birdland. Arranger Pekka Nikula is an accomplished Finnish conductor and music educator whose vocal arrangements seamlessly span from traditional choral music to contemporary jazz and pop.

Finlandia Hymn

Op. 26/7, comp. Jean Sibelius, lyr. V.A.Koskenniemi

The national composer of Finland Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) composed Finlandia Hymn originally as a part of a larger orchestra piece in 1899-1900, never intending it to be sung. The lyrics by V.A.Koskenniemi were introduced in 1940. Finlandia Hymn was born during a time of national struggle. It serves as a symbol of Finland's resilience, capturing the nation's journey from the 'darkness' of foreign oppression to the 'dawn' of independence.

The hymn celebrates the metaphorical "dawn" of Finland, symbolizing the nation's triumph over the dark threats of oppression and struggle. It calls for the country to stand tall and proud, honoring its great memories and the fact that it refused to bow down under foreign rule. Ultimately, the lyrics portray a message of resilience and hope, declaring that the morning of freedom has finally arrived for the homeland.

Finlandia Hymn

Op. 26/7, comp. Jean Sibelius, lyr. V.A.Koskenniemi

The national composer of Finland Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) composed Finlandia Hymn originally as a part of a larger orchestra piece in 1899-1900, never intending it to be sung. The lyrics by V.A.Koskenniemi were introduced in 1940. Finlandia Hymn was born during a time of national struggle. It serves as a symbol of Finland's resilience, capturing the nation's journey from the 'darkness' of foreign oppression to the 'dawn' of independence.

The hymn celebrates the metaphorical "dawn" of Finland, symbolizing the nation's triumph over the dark threats of oppression and struggle. It calls for the country to stand tall and proud, honoring its great memories and the fact that it refused to bow down under foreign rule. Ultimately, the lyrics portray a message of resilience and hope, declaring that the morning of freedom has finally arrived for the homeland.