In English

RANTASALMI WIND BAND SOCIETY
Founded in 1979

BANDS

During the school year 2011-2012 six bands are playing: 3 wind bands (levels A, B, and C), Ihmekvintetti (“Quintet”), Adults´ Elementary Orchestra and Adults’ Pop Orchestra. The bands are conducted by Marja Ikonen, Janne Ikonen and Anna-Maija Saari. The pop group "SoulSystem" will rehearse some weekends with Pekka Koivunoro. There are about 90 musicians in the bands altogether. The administration of the bands is in the hands of the society board under the chairmanship of Petteri Koskikallio.

YOUTH THEATRE

During the school year 2011-2012 the theatre will rehearse musicals Pikku Vampyyri (The Little Vampire) and The Sound of Music. There are 50 students playing on the stage and in the musical orchestra. The musicals are directed by Kaisla Pirkkalainen from Rantasalmi. The youth theatre is administered by a youth theatre division under the chairmanship of Mira Markkanen-Vänttinen.

CONTACT

Marja Ikonen                                   marja.ikonen(at)rantasalmi.fi

Petteri Koskikallio                             pkoskikallio(at)gmail.com

Mira Markkanen-Vänttinen                 mira.mmv(at)hotmail.com

TORNADO

The society owns a music and theatre hall called Tornado, where productions are rehearsed and performed.  Tornado, an old industrial hall, was reconstructed on voluntary basis.  The hall accommodates a sloping auditorium with 202 seats.  Sound and lightning systems are of professional standard.

THE HISTORY OF RANTASALMI WIND BAND

Rantasalmi Wind Band Society was founded in 1979.  Out of the several active persons giving birth to the band let us mention Risto Nyyssönen, the music teacher, and Sakari Niemi, the head teacher, from the local open college. In 1980’s the number of musicians grew and new bands on level B and C started. Also the repertoire of the bands expanded as the number of musicians got higher. The traditional march music, which was played during the first years, gradually turned into more entertaining wind band music, and further into more challenging compositions and concert music. At the moment our repertoire covers traditional wind band music, pop music as well as new Finnish wind band music. More challenging compositions can be played in joint concerts together with bands from neighbouring municipalities. In recent years we have tried to play new Finnish wind band music in plenty and have ordered compositions from Finnish composers.

In 1990’s we made a big move and founded a youth theatre. Everything started in 1994 when the local open college arranged a music theatre course for young music students. The purpose was to introduce other performing arts and to show how important the knowledge of music is in the field of various performing arts. There were over 50 music students, aged from 15 to 18, who participated in the course. The teacher of acting during the course was Tarja Pyhähuhta, an actress from Mikkeli, and music was instructed by Risto Nyyssönen. The course was so popular that it was continued under the wings of the wind band. In 1995 we made another big decision, which also solved the problem of lacking rehearsal rooms. We bought an old industrial hall, which was reconstructed on voluntary basis into a 202-seated concert and music theatre hall.  There was a contest for the name of the hall. The winning proposal was Tornado. This is how we got all the rehearsals and performances of every band and group under the same roof. The need of hauling instruments and booking rehearsal rooms became minimal.

In the beginning of the 21^st century the number of musicians in the band temporarily sank as many youngsters moved elsewhere because of their studies. In autumn 2003 we got a new conductor, Marja Ikonen. She started seeking new musicians to join the old ones in the bands. Today there are about 70 musicians in A, B and C bands. Every other autumn a new elementary group, or the C band, starts. In addition to the wind bands there are four groups: SoulSystem, Ihmekvintetti, Adults´Elementary Orchestra and Adults’ Pop Orchestra, these are conducted by Janne Ikonen, Anna-Maija Saari and Pekka Koivunoro. SoulSystem, loyal to its name, plays soul and other rhythm music. In Adults’ Pop Orchestra you can play all kinds of wind and band instruments. Musicians of Ihmekvintetti are the best players of Wind band A, and its size varies from 3 to 12 players. Adults´Elementary Orchestra is for beginners.

Both Rantasalmi Wind band and Rantasalmi Youth Theatre are often seen in the cultural life of Rantasalmi as they perform in concerts, musicals and other events. The wind band works in close association with local schools, choirs, orchestras and theatre groups. Rantasalmi Wind band has participated in national Youth Art Actions several times. In 1993 the band was awarded with a silver medal in the national contest of wind bands. The band played in the national wind band event in Savonlinna in spring 2004 and in Hamina Tattoo, an international military music event, in 2006. Rantasalmi Wind band has made ten trips abroad. The latest was the tour to Sortavala in 2010.

In 2009 we celebrated the 30^th anniversary of the orchestra and the 15^th anniversary of the youth theatre. The orchestra released its first album ‘Rantasalmen Puhallinorkesteri 30 vuotta’.

                                    Text: Marja Ikonen
                                    Translation: Päivi Koikkalainen-Rovamo