Awake Percussion was founded in Helsinki in 2016. The group’s aim is first and foremost to give audiences the opportunity to hear the most fascinating music of our times, performed with the utmost conviction. Commissioning new music and working in close collaboration with composers is a central part of the ensemble’s artistic vision. Awake Percussion’s unique and artistically coherent concert programmes are all constructed around new works commissioned by the group and Finnish premieres of other works.

The ensemble’s name, Awake Percussion, is a nod to its direct ancestor, the Breath Ensemble which operated under the auspices of the Percussion Chamber-Music Society. The choice of the word ‘awake’ is important as it refers, on the one hand, to the very literal awakening of the Chamber-Music Society’s activities, which had dwindled in recent years. More than that, the word reminds us of where it all began and says something of the group’s mission to remain constantly ‘awake’ in the ever changing and developing worlds of music and art.

There are 40 seats available for the concert, 30 of which can be reserved online. Register here.
The remaining seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the concert.

Free admission. Warmly welcome!

Photo: Awake Percussion / Susanna Lönnrot

Accordionist Teija Niku and pianist Juha Kujanpää are known as distinctive composers who draw from a wide range of influences, and as masters of their instruments. As a duo, they bring their new compositions to life, with the piano and accordion working in perfect harmony — each taking turns as soloist and accompanist — all while leaving room for improvisation. Their collaboration, spanning over 15 years, culminates in Duo, an album set to be released by Rockadillo Records in March 2025.

There are 40 seats available for the concert, 30 of which can be reserved online. Register here.
The remaining seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the concert.

Free admission. Warmly welcome!

Annika Fuhrmann is a German-Finnish versatile singer, musician, and sound artist, who feels most at home in the fields of experimental music theater, sound art, improvisation, and contemporary music. Annika graduated from the Sibelius Academy with a master’s degree in music. In recent years, she has actively sought to break away from her classical singing background. Instead of technical perfection, she is interested in the diverse use of the human voice as an expressive tool with a direct and unadorned connection to the listener. Annika has premiered several works composed for her and participated in interdisciplinary projects with artists from various fields.

Songs from Exile is Annika Fuhrmann’s solo performance based on songs by Austrian composer Hanns Eisler (1898–1962) and German composer Paul Dessau (1894–1979), set to the texts of Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956). These songs were created between 1933 and 1948, during the time the writer and composers were in exile across Europe. The performance blends German and Finnish. A travel harmonium, crafted in 1930s Germany, serves as the minimalist orchestra.

There are 40 seats available for the concert, 30 of which can be reserved online. Register here.
The remaining seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the concert.

Free admission. Warmly welcome!

There are 40 seats available for the concert, 30 of which can be reserved online. Register here.
The remaining seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the concert.

Free admission. Warmly welcome!