History & Mission: |
Cantores Minores, the Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral, arranges the Helsinki Bach Week for the 11th time. The five-yearly repeated Bach festival was initiated in 1965 by the choir’s then conductor prof. Heinz Hofmann. Among many soloists, the following performers have since been invited to the Helsinki Bach Weeks: The Weimar Music Academy Orchestra, Collegium Instrumentale Halle, Cappella Sagittariana Dresden, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Rottweiler Münstersängerknaben, Dresdner Kreuzchor, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra.
In the X Helsinki Bach Week (2010) there were many renowned Finnish artists like the Tapiola Chamber Choir, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, opera singers Anna-Kristiina Kaappola, Helena Juntunen and Tuomas Pursio, hapsicordist Anna-Maaria Oramo and organists Tapio Tiitu and Kalevi Kiviniemi. Among Finnish artists there were also guests from Estonia performing music by Estonian composer Urmas Sisask and J.S. Bach: the boys' choirs from the Church of St. Michael (Tallinn) and Tarto, Collegium Consonante, countertenor/baritone Taaniel Kirikal and conductor Lehari Kaustel.
In the XI Helsinki Bach Week (2015) there will be many renowned Finnish artists like the Tapiola Chamber Choir, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, Finnish Baroque Orchestra, opera singers Kajsa Dahlbäck, Marjukka Tepponen, Monica Groop, Timothy Fallon and Tuomas Pursio, hapsicordist Aapo Häkkinen and organist Ilpo Laspas. In the program there are all J.S. Bach Motets, some Cantatas and Concertos, Organ music and the masterpiece Mass in B minor (BWV 232).
See: Helsingin Bach –Viikon Historia [Finnish, PDF] |
Recent Festivals: |
Helsingin I Bach-päivät: Mar 28-30, 1965
Helsingin II Bach-päivät: Oct 4-7, 1970
Helsingin III Bach-viikko: Nov 2-9, 1975
Helsingin IV Bach-viikko: Nov 2-8, 1980
Helsingin V Bach-viikko: Oct 13-20, 1985
Helsingin VI Bach-viikko: Nov 14-18, 1990
Helsingin VII Bach-viikko: Oct 29-Nov 4, 1995
Helsingin VIII Bach-viikko: Nov 5-12, 2000
IX Helsingin Bach-viikko: Nov 6-13, 2005
X Helsingin Bach-viikko: Oct 29-Nov 5, 2010 |
XI Helsingin Bach-viikko:: Oct 25-30, 2015 |