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Minna Leinonen is the new Artistic Director of Tampere Biennale

Tampere Biennale will have composer Minna Leinonen as its new artistic director.

– On a wide spectrum, my goal is to make contemporary music more approachable and vibrant by creating a common space between composers, musicians and the public. It can happen through encounters, collaboration, and sharing. At the same time, the iconic image of the composer is updated and modernized, Leinonen describes.

– I am also interested in the voices of different generations of contemporary music. What is the continuum and direction like when we look ahead? I will start the task by returning to the roots of the Tampere Biennale – first I will read a biography of Usko Meriläinen written by Maritta Hirvonen.

Minna Leinonen (b. 1977) is a Finnish composer of contemporary music. Her works are often inspired by every day, extra-musical phenomena such as the Finnish environment and folklore or daily objects and sounds.

Leinonen’s music has been performed by, among others, BBC Philharmonic, The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, the ICE ensemble, defunensemble, CHANGEnsemble, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Norrbotten NEO, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jousia ensemble, Zagros, TampereRaw, Tampere Chamber Opera and Uusinta Ensemble.

She has also been involved in projects in which music communicates with other artistic genres, such as acrobatics, documentary, video, or installation.

She hosts Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra´s monthly chamber music concert Afternoon of the Fauns. She is a doctoral student in the DocMus department at the Sibelius Academy.

Leinonen will succeed Jennah Vainio, who was the Artistic Director of the 2020 and 2022 editions of the festival.

– In gratitude to the entire Tampere Biennale team and the residents of Tampere, I hand over the artistic leadership of the festival to the skilled hands of my successor Minna Leinonen, Vainio states.

Minna Leinonen’s photo: Ville Hautakangas

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