Finland100 and Helsinki Variations

In honour of the centenary anniversary of independent Finland, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra launched a Helsinki Variations commission project spanning a number of years. At the beginning of 2017, six Finnish composers were invited to write works to be performed by the HPO in 2019–2022. Each composer selects a Finnish work dating from before 1945 as inspiration for a new piece lasting not more than 15 minutes. Invitations were extended to a further six composers in autumn 2019, for works to be heard in 2022–2025.

The composers of the Helsinki Variations and the years in which their commissions will be performed are as follows:

Autumn 2019: Lotta Wennäkoski 
Spring 2020: Kimmo Hakola 
Autumn 2020: Antti Auvinen 
Spring 2021: Matthew Whittall 
Autumn 2021: Seppo Pohjola
Spring 2022: Sampo Haapamäki 

Autumn 2022: Jukka Linkola 
Spring 2023: Minna Leinonen 
Autumn 2023: Olli Virtaperko 
Spring 2024: Jennah Vainio 
Autumn 2024: Outi Tarkiainen 
Spring 2025: Jouni Hirvelä