Tiensuu, Jukka
Tiensuu, Jukka
TiensUU, Jukka, prominent Finnish harpsichordist, pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Helsinki, Aug. 30, 1948. He was a pupil of Heininen at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (1967-72), where he received diplomas in piano and composition (1972); after attending the Juilliard School in N.Y. (1972-73), he pursued studies in harpsichord and Baroque chamber music at the Freiburg im Breisgau Staatliche Hochschule für Musik (diplomas, 1976). He then was active as a researcher and composer at IRCAM in Paris (1978-82); pursued computer music research at the Univ. of Calif, at San Diego and at the Mass. Inst. of Technology (1989). He toured widely as a performer in Europe, North America, and Asia; served as director of the Helsinki Biennale in 1981 and 1983; was founder-director of the International Festival and Summer Academy of Contemporary Music in Viitasaari (1982); taught at the Sibelius Academy and gave master classes on Baroque and avant-garde music. In 1988 his Tokko was awarded 1st prize at the UNESCO International Composers Rostrum in Paris. As a performing musician, Tiensuu has won accolades for his insightful interpretations of both contemporary and Baroque scores. His own compositions utilize various avant-garde techniques.
Works
orch: Largo for Strings (1971); Flato for Wind Orch. (Helsinki, Nov. 22, 1974); Mxpzkl (1977; Helsinki, March 13, 1985); M for Amplified Harpsichord, Percussion, and Strings (1980; Hilversum, Sept. 13, 1981); Puro for Clarinet and Orch. (Helsinki, April 26, 1989); Lume for Orch. and Tape (Helsinki, March 14, 1991); Halo (Kuopio, Nov. 19, 1994); Plus V for Accordion and Strings (Tampere, April 8, 1994); Alma for Orch. and Tape (Helsinki, Aug. 23, 1995); Vento for Clarinet Choir (1995). CHAMBER : Cadenza for Flute (Helsinki, Oct. 1, 1972); Concerto da camera for Cello, Flute, English Horn, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1972; Helsinki, March 24, 1973); Ouverture for Flute and Harpsichord (Helsinki, Oct. 1, 1972); 4 Etudes for Flute (1974; No. 1, Helsinki, Feb. 22, 1978; Nos. 2 and 3, Helsinki, March 5, 1979; No. 4, Viitasaari, lune 22, 1982); PreLUDI, LUDI, postLUDI for Guitar (1974; Helsinki, Nov. 8, 1983); Aspro for Clarinet, Trombone, Cello, and Piano (1975; Amsterdam, Sept. 1976); Rubato for Any Ensemble (1975; Helsinki, May 11, 1977); Aufschwung for Accordion (Lahti, Nov. 3, 1977); Dolce amoroso for Guitar (1978); Sinistro for Accordion and Guitar (Helsinki, Oct. 17, 1977); Yang I (Helsinki, Nov. 17, 1978) and Il (1979; Helsinki, Nov. 8, 1983) for Ensemble; Narcissus for Oboe and Tape (Hameenlinna, July 3, 1979); Le Tombeau de Beethoven for Oboe, Cello, Piano, and Tape (Helsinki, Sept. 23, 1980); Prélude mesuré for Harpsichord and Optional Live Electronics (Viitasaari, July 26, 1983); Fantango for Any Keyboard Instrument (1984; with harpsichord, Viitasaari, Aug. 11, 1985); Tango lunaire for Oboe or Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Any Keyboard Instrument (1985; Tampere, Feb. 15, 1986); mutta for 3 Accordions (1985-87; Helsinki, Nov. 2, 1985; rev. version, Viitasaari, July 27, 1987); Manaus (Ghost Sonata) for Concert Kantele (1988; Viitasaari, July 23, 1989); Le Tombeau de Mozart for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (Turku, Aug. 18, 1990); Arsenic and Old Lace for Micro-tonally Tuned Harpsichord and String Quartet (Helsinki, Sept. 4, 1990); Plus I for Clarinet and Accordion (Helsinki, May 9, 1992), II for Clarinet and Cello (Helsinki, March 8, 1992), III for Cello and Accordion (Karkkila, Feb. 19, 1992), and IV for Clarinet, Accordion, and Cello (1992; Toronto, March 28, 1993); oddjob for Viola or Violin or Cello and Electronics (Helsinki, March 11, 1995). Piano : Solo for Piano and Live Electronics (Darmstadt, July 24, 1976); Prélude non-mesuré (Helsinki, June 15, 1976); /L for Amplified Piano, 4-Hands (1981; Joensuu, Sept. 29, 1982); ...kahdenkesken for Piano, 4-Hands (Helsinki, May 14, 1983); Ground (Helsinki, Feb. 15, 1990). VOCAL: Tanka for High Voice and Small Orch. (1973; Helsinki, April 23, 1976); Passage for Soprano, Chamber Ensemble, and Live Electronics (Paris, Feb. 25, 1980); P-P inocchio! for Soprano, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Harpsichord, Violin, Cello, Tapes, and Computer (Paris, Dec. 3, 1982); Tokko for Men’s Chorus and Computer-generated Tape (1987; Helsinki, May 14, 1988). TAPE: Interludes I-IV for Tape and Optional Harpsichord (Helsinki, March 11, 1987); Prologi (Helsinki, March 11, 1993); Logos I-II (Helsinki, March 11, 1993); Epilogi (Helsinki, March 11, 1993); Sound of Life (Helsinki, Nov. 27, 1993); Ai (Helsinki, Nov. 11, 1994).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire