Peter and the Wolf (ven. Петя и волк eli Petja i volk) is a beloved musical fairy tale for children. It tells a story of a young boy and his animal friends threatened by a vicious wolf lurking around. The work is very popular both among the children and the grown-ups internationally.

Sergei Prokofiev wrote the story and composed the music in 1936. The composition is performed by a narrator and an orchestra. Each of the seven characters of the story is portrayed by its own instrument and musical theme. In 1966, the celebrated bandleader Oliver Nelson arranged the piece for his big band. In this rendition, Hammond organist Jimmy Smith played the solo parts.

Oliver Nelson’s arrangement of Peter and the Wolf is premièred in Finland in November. This time around organ specialist Mikko Helevä plays the solo parts and Mikko Hassinen conducts the orchestra.

Mikko Helevä (b. 1970) is a recognized jazz organist and pianist. He has graduated from the jazz department of Sibelius Academy in 2003 with a Master’s Degree and finished his doctoral studies in the same institution in spring 2017. During the last two decades Helevä has made his mark in the Finnish jazz scene with his groovy Hammond playing. He has played in various Finnish groups and his longest-running band is The Bronson, an organ trio he founded in 1998. His other groups include Mikko Helevä Groovin’ Hammond and Big Brother. He has also played in Jukka Eskola Soul Trio, Jarmo Saari Filmtet, Johanna Försti’s gospel project and Tonight at Noon. Helevä’s first performance with UMO was in the autumn 1998 in a concert of young soloists. Aside from being an active performer, Helevä has a long history in pedagogics. He has taught in various schools of pop and jazz around Finland. From year 2005 on, he has been a lecturer in Sibelius Academy’s jazz music department. He was also the artistic director of the 2016 jazz festival DIG. As a composer Helevä is influenced by the tradition of jazz, but his style also has a modern touch. As a part of his doctoral studies, Helevä published a solo album Hands-on Hammond in the autumn 2016. He also recorded and mixed the album.

Peter and the Wolf
UMO & Mikko Helevä
Composed by Sergei Prokofiev
Arranged by Oliver Nelson
Conducted by Mikko Hassinen