Professional Composer

Photographer Maarit Kytöharju has been documenting Finnish art music since the early 1990s, and her lens has captured a sizable percentage of Finland’s composers. This exhibition shows them at work, in everyday life and in formal portraits spanning three decades.

The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the world of classical composers: what does it look like to be a composer, from the 1990s to the present? The photos are accompanied by composers’ writings and thoughts about their work. The big picture is one of a profession where creativity is at once deeply personal and societally significant.

The Tampere Biennale is a showcase for Finnish composers. Kytöharju has been documenting events and concerts at the Biennale since 1990. She has drawn a wealth of inspiration from the offering of Tampere Music Festivals in general and has produced an extensive visual record of Finnish music.

Maarit Kytöharju gives an introduction to the exhibition in the interval of the Tampere Filharmonia concert on Friday 17 April.