Idea

IDEA OF THE SAVONLINNA MUSIC ACADEMY

The Savonlinna Music Academy is an independent institution in the town’s fine tradition of music education. It seeks to act as a pioneer in the provision of training in Lied, chamber music and opera and is a unique chance for the world-famous Finnish education in classical music, international artists and young talents to meet in the cultural atmosphere of summer Savonlinna. The Academy may be likened to the Steans Institute operating alongside the Ravinia Festival or the Mozarteum at the Salzburg Festival.

The courses of the Music Academy provide young artists with an opportunity for integrated study in which interaction and diversity are key factors in the search for deeper understanding. At the chamber music master classes teachers and students make music together.

Participants of the master classes are players and singers of outstanding talent either in the final stages of their studies or just embarking on their career. Being outside the established institutions, the training carries no mechanical attainment requirements and is thus a vital contribution to the training of creative artists. The teachers and students on the courses come from all over the world and the Music Academy thus promotes networking between both generations and cultures. The teachers are all international artists of the highest calibre with a broad understanding of life and creative musicality.

Savonlinna Music Academy is maintained by the Savonlinna Music Academy Relief Association. Its operations are financed by the town of Savonlinna, foundations and sponsors. The Academy is an opportunity for its sponsors to offer their partners, business associates and personnel concerts in Savonlinna in summer or to attain visibility through, say, the concert and course advertisements. The Artistic Director of the Savonlinna Music Academy is pianist-professor Ralf Gothóni. Former president of Finland Martti Ahtisaari is the honorary chairman of the council.

The Finnish-Egyptian Musical Bridge took place for the second time In May 2008. The artists and pedagogues of the Savonlinna Music Academy worked together with their Egyptian colleagues in workshops. The product was brought to the Cairo audience in two Chamber Music Concerts, in an Opera Concert and in a Symphony Concert. The event created very positive and enthusiastic reactions in the Egyptian audience and media.

In the summer 2009 Savonlinna Music Academy was running from June 29th to July 21st. There were master classes in opera and chamber music. The teachers included Eija Tolpo, Tom Krause, Mark Gothoni, Timothy Summers, Emile Cantor and Laurentiu Sbarcea.

In March 2009 there was the third Finnish-Egyptian Musical Bridge in Cairo and the first Finnish-Turkish Musical Bridge in Ankara.