Experience the expanded sound world of the organ with NYKY Ensemble: cyborg-like sonorities, rhythmic power, and spatial dialogue.

In this concert, the sound world of the organ is expanded as if creating a kind of cyborg-organ — not only through electronics and digital technology, as in the concert’s title piece, but also by placing the instrument in highly varied ensembles, from duos to a large ensemble.

The organ’s site-specific nature is challenged in diverse sonic and rhythmic environments, where the organ’s kindred instruments — the accordion and the Hammond organ — also take on their own roles.

The opening work, Crossover Concerto (2017) by Polish composer Mikołaj Majkusiak, is an energetic and rhythmically compelling piece for an ensemble that includes, in addition to a string quartet and wind instruments, accordion, piano, percussion, EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), electric guitar, and Hammond organ.

German composer Isabel Mundry’s Traces des Moments (2000) for string trio, clarinet, and accordion sounds like an illuminated moment. The wave-like movements found in nature — such as wind-created patterns in sand or water — resonate, reflect, mirror, and shadow one another, forming moving shapes in time.

From small gestures arise large figures — as in American composer Nico Muhly’s Beaming Music (2002) for marimba and organ, where rhythmic motion takes on a very different form. Short rhythmic cells transform into broad, open harmonies.

Matti Laine, a composition student at the Sibelius Academy, has written a new piece for organ, accordion, electric guitar, and tenor saxophone for this concert. In this quartet, the instruments are placed far apart, and the accordion functions as a kind of distant organ pipe, engaging in a wave-like dialogue with the organ.

The concert concludes with Veli Kujala’s CybOrgan — an intense, multi-dimensional sound journey that moves freely between stylistic influences, from medieval organum to the avant-garde, at times with improvisatory hues. Together with the string orchestra and electronics, the organ forms a breathing organism.

Performers:
NYKY Ensemble
Marija Baniulytė, conductor
Marika Kostecka, piccolo
Dario Scalabrini, EWI (electronic wind instrument) and clarinet
Juuso Björkroth, bass clarinet
Juho Pétas, tenor saxophone
Mitja Koskiluoma, percussion
Olgierd Granatowi, marimba
Olena Tolokolnikova, hammond organ
Vinha rechardt, piano
Eino Susitaival, organ
Sini Wallius, organ
Laura Mehmeti, accordion
Anni Pelkonen, accordion
Leonardo Rojnić, accordion
Sampo Harju, electric guitar
Erika Härö, violin
Viljami Kemppinen, violin
Elena Kirdaite, violin
Klara Leoson, violin
Fanni Piri, violin
Venla Saavalainen, violin
Stella Forssell, viola
Margherita Pucci, viola
Mal Chojnowska, violoncello
Kevin Zhuang, violoncello
Martti Genevet, double bass
Susanne Kujala, music coaching
Jere Harjunniemi, sound engineer
Libero Mureddu, intendent of the NYKY Ensemble
Jaakko Kilpeläinen, producer of the NYKY Ensemble

Programme:
Mikołaj Majkusiak – Crossover Concerto (2017)
Isabel Mundry: Traces de Moments (1999–2000)
Nico Muhly: Beaming Music (2007)
Matti Laine: The Wizard Isn’t Real (2025)
Veli Kujala: CybOrgan (2012)

Tickets: Free entry

More info: https://www.uniarts.fi/tapahtumat/nyky-ensemble-cyborgan/