Premiere – Moiré for natural horn and Baroque orchestra

Olli Virtaperko’s brand new natural horn concerto Moiré (2020) will be premiered in Musica Nova Helsinki 2021 festival on the 7th of February 2021 by Tommi Hyytinen and Finnish Baroque Orchestra FiBO under Tomas Djupsjöbacka. Due to Covid-19 restrictions the premier will be a broadcasted event by Yle Broadcasting company with no audience.

The premiere of Moiré continues Virtaperko’s collaboration with the Finnish Baroque Orchestra FiBO, which started in 2013 with his acclaimed Ambrosian Delights, a concerto for Knifonium and Baroque orchestra. In the new natural horn concerto Virtaperko’s focus is on sound color and microtonal harmonies, densities and interference. ”In Moiré the natural overtone-based just intonation of the natural horn and the equal temperament of the orchestra co-exist, creating strong tensions and interference, but also new harmonic opportunities”, Virtaperko says.

Moiré was commissioned by the concerto’s soloist Tommi Hyytinen, who also contributed greatly to the composing process: ”Close collaboration with Tommi was crucial for me in the process of getting to learn to understand the nature of the instrument and find out its technical and expressional resources and potential. We worked intensively together in this piece from day one and Tommi’s devotion to this project was the decisive factor that made all the difference from my point of view – composing Moiré was fruitful, rewarding and exciting. I can’t wait to hear the result!”

The premiere of Moiré will be broadcasted on Yle Radio 1 on 11 February at 20:30 (+1 CET) by:
Tommi Hyytinen, natural horn soloist
Finnish Baroque Orchestra FiBO, conducted by Tomas Djupsjöbacka
(with Miska Miettunen, orchestral natural horn obligato & Eriikka Maalismaa, the concertmaster)

The full orchestral score of Moiré and further information: https://www.virtaperko.fi/moire/

(featured photo: Ville Paul Paasimaa)