Kari Turunen

Kari Antero Turunen (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈkɑri ˈturunen]), DMus, born 1962, is a Finnish artistic director, choral conductor, ensemble tenor, and music scholar and lecturer.

Dr
Kari Turunen
Birth nameKari Antero Turunen
BornSeptember 1962 (age 57)
Joensuu,  Finland
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Artistic director
  • choral conductor
  • ensemble tenor
  • scholar
  • lecturer
  • administrator
Years activec. 1990–present
Associated acts
Websitekariturunen.com

Life and career

Early life

Turunen was born in September 1962 in Joensuu in Eastern Finland.[1] He spent part of his childhood in Australia.

In his youth, Turunen played the double bass.

Education and academic career

Turunen attended the programme in orchestral and choral conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, studying choral conducting with Professor Matti Hyökki. He received his Diploma in choral conducting in 1998,[1] and graduated as Master of Music in 2000.[2][3] In his thesis, Turunen analyzes the oratorio Jephtha by Handel.[4] Turunen also attended the University of Helsinki.

Around this time, Turunen also studied with or took part in master classes with musicians such as Stefan Sköld, Anders Eby, Eric Ericson, Oren Brown, and the Hilliard Ensemble.[1][5]

Turunen later returned to academia, receiving his Doctor of Music degree in 2014 at the DocMus Doctoral School of the Sibelius Academy's Faculty of Classical Music, by then part of the University of the Arts Helsinki, with a dissertation on early music performance practice and specifically Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, titled Performing Palestrina: From historical evidence to twenty-first century performance.[6][7] As part of his doctoral degree, Turunen formed and directed the Ensemble Petraloysio, an all-male ensemble comprising vocalists, an organist, and various other instrumentalists as needed, performing sacred works by Palestrina.[8]

Professional career

1990–2000

In 1990, Turunen was hired as executive director of The Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association Sulasol (Finnish: Suomen Laulajain ja Soittajain Liitto). He stepped down in 1996.[9]

Also in 1990, early in his career as a choral conductor, Turunen was appointed artistic director of the Chamber Choir EOL (Finnish: Eteläsuomalaisen Osakunnan Laulajat), a mixed voice choir affiliated with the University of Helsinki student nation Eteläsuomalainen osakunta. He would direct the choir for twelve years, stepping down in 2002.[2]

In 1993, Turunen was one of the founding members of Lumen Valo, an eight-member mixed voice vocal ensemble performing classical and especially early music. He has, as of 2019, been one of the ensemble's tenors ever since.[1] The ensemble has come to be a prominent one on the Finnish early vocal music scene.[10]

In 1998, Turunen was appointed artistic director of the Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (Swedish: Akademiska Damkören Lyran), the only female voice choir affiliated with the University of Helsinki, succeeding Johanna Almark-Mannila (née Almark).[11] He directed the choir for eleven years, stepping down in 2009, having been appointed artistic director of the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki (Swedish: Akademiska Sångföreningen) a year prior. He was succeeded by Jutta Seppinen.[12]

2001–2019

Between 2001 and 2011, Turunen was lecturer of choral conducting at the Pirkanmaa University of Applied Sciences (Finnish: Pirkanmaan ammattikorkeakoulu) in Tampere, later merged with the Tampere University of Applied Sciences (Finnish: Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu).[1] A year after the beginning of his tenure, in 2002, Turunen was appointed artistic director of the Tampere-based mixed voice choir Näsin Ääni, later known as Kamarikuoro Näsi. No longer working as a lecturer in Tampere, he stepped down in 2012.[3]

Turunen succeeded Henrik Wikström as artistic director of Finland's oldest extant choir, the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki (Swedish: Akademiska Sångföreningen), one of two male voice choirs affiliated with the University of Helsinki, in 2008.[13]

In 2011, Turunen not only formed the Ensemble Petraloysio, but was also appointed artistic director of the Helsinki-based mixed voice Kampin Laulu Chamber Choir,[2][5] as well as the Chorus Cantorum Finlandiæ (Finnish: Suomen kanttorikuoro), a choir comprising Finnish church musicians, originally exclusively performing male voice sacred music, but later including female voices and performing mixed voice sacred music.[14]

In 2013, the mixed voice choir Spira Ensemble was formed in Helsinki, appointing Turunen its first artistic director.[15]

Turunen is artistic director of the annual Aurore Renaissance Music Festival in Helsinki, which was arranged for the first time in 2014.[16]

Turunen is a part-time teacher at the DocMus Doctoral School at the Sibelius Academy's Faculty of Classical Music.[17][18]

In addition to other commitments, Turunen has been a prolific writer and journalist in the field of music.[9] He also appears regularly as choral teacher and adjudicator.[19]

2019 appointment as conductor of the Vancouver Chamber Choir

In March 2019, it was announced that Turunen had been appointed the new conductor and artistic director of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, beginning in September 2019, succeeding founder and long-time conductor and artistic director Jon Washburn.[20][21][22]

Positions of trust

Turunen was chairman of the Finnish Choral Directors' Association (Finnish: Suomen kuoronjohtajayhdistys) from 1997[2] until 2018.[19]

Accolades

In Marktoberdorf in 2003, conducting the Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran,[23] Turunen received the Pro Musica Viva–Maria Strecker-Daelen award for the best conducting performance interpreting a contemporary choral work.[24]

Turunen was named choral conductor of the year by the Finnish Choral Directors' Association in 2008.[9][25]

Turunen has been appointed honorary conductor by both the Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran and the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki.

Personal life

Turunen is married and lives with his family in Kerava outside Helsinki. He enjoys English literature and is an avid cricket player;[3] he has held positions of trust in his home club Kerava CC as well as in the Finnish Cricket Association.[26][27]

Turunen's native language is Finnish, but he is also fluent in Swedish, several of his choirs belonging to Finland's Swedish-language minority, in addition to being fluent in English.

Citations
  1. Ekberg & Svenska folkskolans vänner 2011b.
  2. Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association 2010.
  3. Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki n.d.
  4. "It must be so! : : näkökulmia G. F. Händelin Jephta-oratorioon /Kari Turunen". eThesis. Helsinki: Sibelius Academy. 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  5. Kampin Laulu Chamber Choir 2010.
  6. University of the Arts Helsinki n.d.
  7. "Performing Palestrina : : from historical evidence to twenty-first century performance /Kari Turunen". eThesis. Helsinki: Sibelius Academy. 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  8. Turunen 2014, pp. 13–14.
  9. Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association 2008.
  10. Ekberg & Svenska folkskolans vänner 2011a.
  11. Väresmaa 2006, pp. 17, 103.
  12. Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran 2016.
  13. Bränn 2013, p. 135.
  14. Chorus Cantorum Finlandiæ 2016.
  15. Spira Ensemble 2016.
  16. "På svenska" [In Swedish]. Aurore Renessanssimusiikkijuhlat (in Swedish). Helsinki: Aurore Renessanssimusiikkijuhlat. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  17. "Staff and contact information". Sibelius Academy DocMus Doctoral School. Helsinki: University of the Arts Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  18. "Kari Turunen". University of the Arts Helsinki. Helsinki: University of the Arts Helsinki. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  19. Tampereen Music Festivals 2019.
  20. Vancouver Chamber Choir 2019.
  21. Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association 2019.
  22. Koppinen 2019.
  23. Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Chorverbände 2017b, p. 4.
  24. Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Chorverbände 2017a, p. 9.
  25. Finnish Choral Directors' Association 2009.
  26. "Kerava CC". Cricket Finland. Helsinki: Finnish Cricket Association. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  27. "New League Sub-Committee appointed". Cricket Finland. Helsinki: Finnish Cricket Association. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
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References
  • Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (2016). "Historia" [History]. Lyran (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki (n.d.). "Dirigenten" [The conductor]. Akademen (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bränn, Michaela, ed. (2013). Manskörssång i tid och rum. Akademiska Sångföreningen 1838–2013. 175-årsjubileumsskrift [Male voice choir singing in time and space. The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki 1838–2013. 175th anniversary publication] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Sångföreningen. ISBN 978-952-93-1792-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Chorverbände (2017a). Internationaler Kammerchor-Wettbewerb Marktoberdorf 1989–2017: Liste der Preisträger [International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf 1989–2017: List of award winners] (PDF) (Online report) (in German). Berlin. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Chorverbände (2017b). Internationaler Kammerchor-Wettbewerb Marktoberdorf 1989–2017: Liste der Teilnehmerchöre [International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf 1989–2017: List of participating choirs] (PDF) (Online report) (in German). Berlin. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Chorus Cantorum Finlandiæ (2016). "Chorus Cantorum Finlandiæ – Suomen kanttorikuoro". Chorus Cantorum Finlandiæ – Suomen kanttorikuoro (Web page) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Ekberg, Henrik & Svenska folkskolans vänner, eds. (2011a) [1st printed ed. 1982–1985; 2nd printed ed. 2003–2007]. "Lumen Valo". Uppslagsverket Finland (Printed and online encyclopedia) (in Swedish) (Online ed.). Helsinki: Svenska folkskolans vänner (Previous editions Schildts). Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Ekberg, Henrik & Svenska folkskolans vänner, eds. (2011b) [1st printed ed. 1982–1985; 2nd printed ed. 2003–2007]. "Turunen, Kari". Uppslagsverket Finland (Printed and online encyclopedia) (in Swedish) (Online ed.). Helsinki: Svenska folkskolans vänner (Previous editions Schildts). Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association (23 December 2008). "Kari Turunen on Vuoden kuoronjohtaja" [Kari Turunen is the Choral conductor of the year]. Sulasol (Web article) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association (2 December 2010). "Kari Turunen Kampin Laulun johtajaksi" [Kari Turunen appointed conductor of Kampin Laulu]. Sulasol (Web article) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Finnish Amateur Musicians' Association (19 March 2019). "Kari Turunen nimitettiin Vancouver Chamber Choirin taiteelliseksi johtajaksi" [Kari Turunen was appointed artistic director of the Vancouver Chamber Choir]. Sulasol (Web article) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Finnish Choral Directors' Association (7 May 2009). "Vuoden kuoronjohtaja 2008" [Choral conductor of the year 2008]. Suomen kuoronjohtajayhdistys (Web article) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kampin Laulu Chamber Choir (25 November 2010). "Kari Turunen taiteelliseksi johtajaksi" [Kari Turunen appointed artistic director]. Kamarikuoro Kampin Laulu (Press release) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Koppinen, Mari (19 March 2019). "Kuoronjohtaja Kari Turunen valittiin Kanadaan huippukuoron johtajaksi, Suomen kuoroelämään jää iso aukko" [Choral conductor Kari Turunen appointed conductor of Canadian top choir, leaving big hole in Finnish choral life]. Helsingin Sanomat (Web article) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Sanoma Media Finland. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Spira Ensemble (2016). "The Choir". Spira Ensemble (Web page). Helsinki. Retrieved 12 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Tampereen Music Festivals (2019). "Jury of the Chorus Review 2019". Tampere Vocal Music Festival 2019 (Web page). Tampere. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Turunen, Kari (2014). Performing Palestrina. From historical evidence to twenty-first century performance (PDF) (DMus dissertation). Helsinki: Sibelius Academy.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • University of the Arts Helsinki (n.d.). "Sibelius-Akatemiassa valmistuneet tohtorintutkinnot" [Completed doctoral degrees at the Sibelius Academy]. Taideyliopisto – Uniarts.fi (Web page) (in Finnish). Helsinki. Retrieved 16 November 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Vancouver Chamber Choir (18 March 2019). "Dr. Kari Turunen appointed as artistic director". Vancouver Chamber Choir (Web article). Vancouver. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Väresmaa, Livia, ed. (2006). Nya vägar. Akademiska Damkören Lyran 60 år [New roads. The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran 60 years] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Damkören Lyran. ISBN 952-92-0040-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Awards
Preceded by
Kari Pappinen		 Finnish Choral Directors' Association Choral Conductor of the Year
2008		 Succeeded by
Timo Lehtovaara
Cultural offices
Preceded by
Johanna Almark-Mannila née Almark		 Chief Conductor, The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran
1998–2009		 Succeeded by
Jutta Seppinen
Preceded by
Henrik Wikström		 Chief Conductor, The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki
2008–2019		 Succeeded by
Elisa Huovinen
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