Uusinta Ensemble, a Helsinki-based chamber group specializing in acoustic contemporary music, highlights the diversity and relevance of modern art music. Founded originally in 1998 in Helsinki as a young composers’ ensemble for performing their own music, its current ‘second generation’ formation is dedicated to premiering ambitious new compositions and fostering international collaborations with composers and festivals all over the world. The group has premiered over a hundred new works and performed in more than 250 concerts, with five acclaimed album releases in their catalogue and more on the way. Since January 2023, the ensemble’s artistic director has been composer Jarkko Hartikainen.
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PAST EVENTS
To see a complete list of all Uusinta Ensemble's past events and world premieres, please click here |
NEWS
The 2025 Teosto Prize Awarded to Mioko Yokoyama for Mineralization
The 2025 Teosto Prize, which celebrates bold, original, and innovative compositions, is one of the most prestigious art awards in the Nordic countries. Established in 2003, the prize highlights the artistic work of composers and lyricists. In 2025, the Teosto Prize was awarded to Mineralization, a piece commissioned and premiered by Uusinta Ensemble from composer Mioko Yokoyama, as well as to Kristo Laanti’s works featured on DJ Kridlokk’s album Hai.
Uusinta Ensemble performed the award-winning piece at the prize ceremony held at the Helsinki Music Centre. As in its world premiere, the performers were Malla Vivolin (flute), Helmi Malmgren (bass clarinet), Maria Puusaari (violin), and Pinja Nuñez (cello). Mineralization is also part of a larger recorded project featuring Yokoyama’s works, to be released later this year by Uusinta Ensemble.
Uusinta Ensemble warmly congratulates Mioko Yokoyama on this well-deserved recognition. We are proud to have been part of the creation of this remarkable work and to support the composer on her artistic journey.
The 2025 Teosto Prize, which celebrates bold, original, and innovative compositions, is one of the most prestigious art awards in the Nordic countries. Established in 2003, the prize highlights the artistic work of composers and lyricists. In 2025, the Teosto Prize was awarded to Mineralization, a piece commissioned and premiered by Uusinta Ensemble from composer Mioko Yokoyama, as well as to Kristo Laanti’s works featured on DJ Kridlokk’s album Hai.
Uusinta Ensemble performed the award-winning piece at the prize ceremony held at the Helsinki Music Centre. As in its world premiere, the performers were Malla Vivolin (flute), Helmi Malmgren (bass clarinet), Maria Puusaari (violin), and Pinja Nuñez (cello). Mineralization is also part of a larger recorded project featuring Yokoyama’s works, to be released later this year by Uusinta Ensemble.
Uusinta Ensemble warmly congratulates Mioko Yokoyama on this well-deserved recognition. We are proud to have been part of the creation of this remarkable work and to support the composer on her artistic journey.
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Mioko Yokoyama and Uusinta Ensemble Continue Their Collaboration – Mineralization Nominated for the Teosto Prize
Composer Mioko Yokoyama’s work Mineralization has been nominated for the 2025 Teosto Prize. The piece, commissioned by Uusinta Ensemble and premiered in February 2024, was performed by the ensemble’s musicians Malla Vivolin (flute), Helmi Malmgren (clarinet), Maria Puusaari (violin), and Pina Nuñez (cello) at the Uusinta 25: Jubilee concert. The Teosto Prize is one of the most noteworthy art prizes in the Nordic countries, and the nominees for the 2025 Teosto Prize were selected from Finnish works of music that were published or premiered last year. The Teosto Prize preliminary selection panel justified the nomination of Mineralization as follows: "Composed for Mioko Yokoyama’s inventive ensemble, Mineralization masterfully shows what the instruments are capable of. Different playing techniques as well as the musicians’ own sound are used. The work evolves into a weave of sound that entices the listener on a journey into the world of senses and timbres. It boldly creates a new language of sounds without pretending to be hard to get. The associations that the work evokes range from the sparkling surfaces of stones to train travel and cartoons. Mineralization also succeeds in something that is a fairly rare virtue for contemporary music: humour." The title Mineralization refers to natural transformation processes in which elements and minerals accumulate and reorganize into new structures. This idea is also reflected in the composition’s structure. Listen to Mineralization’s world premiere from the vido on the right. Mioko Yokoyama and Uusinta Ensemble have collaborated for many years. Uusinta previously premiered Yokoyama’s There Are Always Flowers (2020–21) and performed her solo cello work Circular Spell in 2018. The now-nominated piece was commissioned as part of a profile album showcasing Yokoyama’s chamber music, which will be released later in 2025. The purpose of the Prize is to recognise bold, original and innovative Finnish works of music. More information about the Teosto Prize nominees here. Mioko Yokoyama's website |
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Concert season 2025 starts with two exceptional events!
January 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the atmospheric crypt of Helsinki Cathedral, Uusinta Ensemble’s string quartet will present Catherine Lamb’s masterpiece Divisio Spiralis. Performed for the first time in Finland, this hypnotic 100-minute work invites the audience to pause and immerse themselves in the profound beauty of its soundscapes.
February 7, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Finnish House of Nobility, as part of the Musica nova Helsinki festival, Uusinta Ensemble will premiere Tara Valkonen’s new tragicomic piece—a commission that blends music and physical expression. The program also features works by Piyawat Louilarpprasert, Julie Herndon, and Sara Glojnarić.
All works are performed in Finland for the first time.
Join us for these unforgettable musical experiences!
January 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the atmospheric crypt of Helsinki Cathedral, Uusinta Ensemble’s string quartet will present Catherine Lamb’s masterpiece Divisio Spiralis. Performed for the first time in Finland, this hypnotic 100-minute work invites the audience to pause and immerse themselves in the profound beauty of its soundscapes.
February 7, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Finnish House of Nobility, as part of the Musica nova Helsinki festival, Uusinta Ensemble will premiere Tara Valkonen’s new tragicomic piece—a commission that blends music and physical expression. The program also features works by Piyawat Louilarpprasert, Julie Herndon, and Sara Glojnarić.
All works are performed in Finland for the first time.
Join us for these unforgettable musical experiences!
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NEW ALBUM RELEASES
Osmo Tapio Räihälä: Zensolence Uusinta Ensemble and Maria Puusaari are part of composer Osmo Tapio Räihälä's new album Zensolence. The album diving into synesthesia consists of vocal and chamber music works as well as live electronics. It contains Räihälä's compositions from more than ten years. The album also features soprano Olga Heikkilä, kantele artist Eija Kankaanranta and Kamus Quartet. It was published by Austrian KAIROS. The album is available for purchase as a physical copy and has also been released on streaming services such as Spotify. |
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Beat Furrer: Duos for violin/viola & piano
Ernst von Siemens Music Prize 2018 laureate Beat Furrer is one of the most influential composers of our time. He turns 70 this year. On April 26, 2024, Uusinta Publishing Ltd. released Uusinta Ensemble's new two-track EP featuring Beat Furrer's duets for violin/viola and piano, for streaming services only. The meditative 'Lied' for violin and piano (1993) is performed by Uusinta Ensemble's violinist Maria Puusaari and pianist Emil Holmström. The second track, a virtuoso piece 'a due' for viola and piano (1998) gets its first official recording with this album, performed by Max Savikangas, viola, and Emil Holmström, piano. The album was recorded at the Sello Hall, Espoo, Finland by Markku Veijonsuo, who also produced and edited the recording. The album is available on Spotify – enjoyable listening! |
Photo credit: David Furrer 2014.
Album cover design: Lauri Toivio / Uusinta Publishing Ltd. |
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UUSINTA 25: JUBILEE on YouTube Uusinta Ensemble's 25th anniversary concert is now on YouTube. The Concert was recorded on 3 Ferbruary 2024 in Helsinki Music Centre, Paavo hall. Below you can download the concert programme. 
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GRAMMY AWARD 2024 Uusinta Ensemble, conductor Nils Schweckendiek and Helsinki Chamber Choir have been awarded with Grammy for the album Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance (BIS Records) in the Best Choral Performance category. Reconnaissance includes Kaija Saariaho's choral music. The now late composer was herself involved in the making of the album, which was released in June 2023. Uusinta Ensemble is grateful and proud to be a part of honouring the music and memory of Kaija Saariaho with this album. |
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