UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra performs a selection of music from the student composers of the Sibelius Academy and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Austria. The material is picked from the online jazz composition masterclasses held in November 2020.

UMO features some of Europe’s most talented emerging big band writers, giving them a chance to have their music rehearsed and performed by one of Europe’s leading jazz orchestras. Conducted by Ed Partyka and hosted by Matti Nives.

Watch for free at UMO Helsinki mobile application or at Helsinkikanava.fi from 8 March at 3 pm (UTC+2) until 31 August.

More information about UMO Helsinki mobile application.

The free UMO Helsinki app is available for Android and iOS devices.
Download for Android at Google Play
Download for iOS (iPhone, iPad, AppleTV) at App Store
You can watch concerts on your smart TV via Chromecast, AirPlay, and Apple TV.

Composers & compositions:
La Galerie Des Cotelles – Daniel Hofecker (Hungary / University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria)
Awakening – Tobias Hoffmann (Germany / University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria)
Metamorphosis – Ursula Reicher (Austria / University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria)
Jericho – Daniel Varga (Hungary / University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria)
Waltz Of A Blind – Mikko Sarvanne (Finland / Sibelius Academy of the Uniarts Helsinki)
Falling Grace – arr. Juho Valjakka (Finland / Sibelius Academy of the Uniarts Helsinki), composer Steve Swallow
Eels In A Blizzard – Selma Savolainen (Finland / Sibelius Academy of the Uniarts Helsinki)

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Ed Partyka works as a professor for Jazz Composition & Arranging at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. He also currently coaches student composers and arrangers at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

– Probably the most valuable experience for a young composer is to have their music played by a professional, world-class jazz orchestra, and get some feedback and support directly from the musicians. This is wonderful opportunity for UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra to delve deeper into the area of jazz education at the university level, and the orchestra will “meet” some of Europe’s most talented young writers. Helping to support emerging artists is something that has always been a part of UMO’s DNA, and this new project will broaden the scope of that support. And, who knows, maybe some future UMO composer/arrangers will be among the students involved in this new and exciting project, said Ed Partyka about the masterclasses held in November.

Photo: UMO’s trumpeter Timo Paasonen and trombonist Mikko Mustonen, by Olli Nurmi.