Festival
Sastamala Gregoriana is a festival celebrating and fostering the appreciation of Finnish medieval art and culture. It is inspired by Sastamala Old Church. This is a historically important building, a beautiful and spiritually uplifting environment, and an acoustic space with unique qualities, which are perfectly suited to “early music”. This combination is something that deserves to be known and appreciated by local, national and international visitors.
The Venue
Sastamala Old Church is a gem of a venue for the performance of music that is contemporary with its history. Its vaulted wooden ceiling, rough hewn stone walls, dirt floor and quiet location combine to make it one of the finest acoustical environments in the world for solo vocal music and small ensembles. Its peaceful, natural environment gives it a further special character, and the surrounding silence deepens the peace and beauty of the musical experience for performers and audiences.
Accommodation
Sastamala Gregoriana takes place in a beautiful part of Finland with lakes, hills and forests.
Why not spend the whole week in the area, enjoying nature during the day and music in the evenings?
Below are some links to places where you might want to stay.
Hotel Ellivuori
Travelling information centre (In finnish):
www.sastamala.fi
The Musical Programme
Sastamala Gregoriana has built a reputation for artistic excellence in its concert programme, promoting concerts that are particularly suited to the atmosphere of its host venue. These can be characterised as “early music” (from the medieval, renaissance and baroque periods), predominantly vocal, with sacred or “spiritual” (in a broad interpretation) qualities, performed by small professional ensembles. There is also a performance by the masterclass students, which many regular members of the audience have come to regard as a highlight of the week’s events.
International Collaboration
Since its inception, Sastamala Gregoriana has also been a celebration of friendship and collaboration between English and Finnish musicians. The original musical director, Kari Kaarna, has strong professional connections with several English musicians, which led to inviting Paul Hillier and Andrew Lawrence-King to be guest performers in the first festival, with Hillier teaching a masterclass in early vocal music. This pattern has been continued in ensuing years, with other guest performers and teachers from England. Evelyn Tubb, Ansy Boothroyd and Michael Fields have performed both solo concerts and collaborative efforts with Finnish colleagues, and taught the vocal masterclass. Latterly, David Hatcher has been welcomed as player and teacher of the viola da gamba. Michael Fields has now been appointed as the Musical Director of the festival, and he continues to teach the vocal masterclass in collaboration with Evelyn Tubb.
The Spirit of the Festival
All the elements above were woven together by the vision of the founders, Maiju Vuorenoja and Kari Kaarna, and are supported by a devoted and energetic team of volunteer workers. They combine to create a fifth element greater than the sum of its parts: an indefinable “ethos” or spirit, which makes Sastamala Gregoriana a special experience for all who attend it – audience and performers, students and tutors.