Ten years ago, Pakhûs SOLO presented its very first concert. On Sunday afternoon, 15 November, the venue celebrates this milestone with a special anniversary performance by the Finnish Ensemble Gamut! The ensemble is travelling especially from Finland for the occasion, and the concert will take place in the beautifully renovated Vitus Church in Stiens.
From the very beginning, Pakhûs SOLO has aimed to create a platform for contemporary classical music and innovative performances inspired by early music. That vision is perfectly reflected in FLOS, an interdisciplinary concert in which Ensemble Gamut! effortlessly combines experimental early music, visual art, improvisation and electronic soundscapes.
The ensemble consists of recorder player Juho Myllylä (who previously performed in Stiens), Aino Peltomaa (voice, medieval harp, frame drums, bells and Finnish kantele), Ilkka Heinonen (Finnish lyres, voice and electronics), sound artist Vincent Masse, and visual artist Vappu Rossi.
At the heart of FLOS are endangered Arctic flowers. Inspired by both the music and these fragile species, Vappu Rossi creates a monumental live drawing during the performance. Using microphones and audio feedback, Vincent Masse transforms every movement of her drawing into part of the musical performance. As the artwork gradually takes shape, the flowers begin to emerge in sound, as though these endangered and even extinct Arctic flowers are coming back to life.
These visible and audible flowers become part of a rich musical landscape of voice, harp, bells, bowed lyres, medieval recorders and electronic soundscapes. The programme combines medieval melodies inspired by flowers with original compositions by Aino Peltomaa about endangered Arctic flora. Together they reflect on the changing landscapes of our natural world: what is lost, rediscovered, destroyed, vanished and, perhaps, saved.
Ensemble Gamut! has earned an international reputation for its imaginative style, often described as refreshing, calming and intriguing. Under the artistic direction of Aino Peltomaa, the ensemble has developed a distinctive musical language that combines medieval music with Finnish folk traditions, adventurous improvisation and contemporary electronic soundscapes.
FLOS is an immersive concert experience that moves effortlessly between moments of exuberance and stillness. The performance lasts just over one hour and is presented without an interval. A complimentary drink will be served afterwards.
Programme curator Beate Loonstra says:
"The music in FLOS is both beautiful and accessible, and I expect it will appeal to a wide audience. Ensemble Gamut! demonstrates that originality and beauty go hand in hand. The programme is imaginative, the theme is highly relevant, and its interdisciplinary approach adds a fascinating extra dimension. That's incredibly exciting. I also love that the theme connects so well with Stichting Stinze-Stiens, the organisation behind Pakhûs SOLO. This season marks its fifth anniversary, and the foundation is dedicated, among other things, to preserving the unique stinzenflora of Friesland."
