Description

Saxophonist Pekka Siponen from the Finnish Navy Band positioned in Turku asked me if I would compose a concerto for alto saxophone and wind band to him. As I was aquainted with the marvelous orchestra and knew about Pekka’s fine reputation as a saxophonist I took the first free opportunity in my calendar to write the piece.

At our family cottage in Karttula which is located in the Northern Savo in Finland I started the 26th of June in 2023. With nothing else disturbing the process the concerto was finished one month later, the 26th of July.

My way of composing is partly happening through improvising to come up with ideas to develop further which I in itself find an organic process. The composition might change and be enlargened from everywhere, from start via the middle section to the end.

And I call my style ”neo this and that” feeling free writing like that. And usually to people who know my ways and ask me to compose something for them, which makes the whole process a dialogue with living musicians, not only just instruments.

- Atso Almila

Instrumentation

2141 2 333 00012 3, asax solo [pic, bcl, tsax, barsax]

Category

Works for Soloist(s) and Orchestra

Premiere

Pekka Siponen, alto saxophone, The Finnish Navy Band, March 2024, Turku, Finland

Commisioned by / dedications

To Pekka Siponen and The Finnish Navy Band

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Archive number

MF35216

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