| Information: |
Seppo Pohjola has studied composition in Espoo Musical College (1987-1990) under the guidance Olli Kortekangas and Olli Koskelin and in Sibelius Academy (1990-1995) with Paavo Heininen and Erkki Jokinen. Before the composition studies he was studying horn as his major instrument. He is a member of a renowned Finnish musical family. His father Erkki Pohjola is the founder and long term leader of the world famous Tapiola Choir. Pohjola has been working as a free composer since 1995.
Pohjola's debut as a composer was String Quartet No. 1 (1991). This and later compositions Pixilated (1992) for chamber ensemble and Daimonion (1994) for orchestra were strictly modernistic and possessed post-serialistic ideas. During the years 1994-1997 Pohjola's style became more versatile and compositions turned to be more heterogeneous. String Quartet No. 2 (1995) and Game Over (1996) for chamber ensemble exhibits powerful expressionism to which fragmentary melodies or freely tonal harmony are not wholly alien. Pohjola's present esthetic attitude with highly characteristic rhythmic patterns and soft sensitive harmonies was found in String Quartet No. 3 (1999-2000) and Oravan Laulu (2000) for mixed choir. Pohjola's Symphony No. 1 (2002) was premiered by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo on March 2005 in Helsinki. In recent years Pohjola has composed several chamber operas: Arabian Jänis (The Arabian Rabbit) for children (2004, Libretto Sinikka Nopola), Kaappi (The Closet 2004, Libretto Janne Suutarinen and Seppo Pohjola) and Rakkaimpani (My Dearest 2005, Libretto Seppo Pohjola based on war time letters by his grandparents). Symphony No 2. (2006) will be premiered by Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Susanna Mälkki on November 2008. At present Pohjola is working with a new opera project.
|