On the 9th of September at 7 pm
Album release concert ‘Treasure Hunt’
Livia Schweizer, flutes and conceptAdriano Adewale, berimbau and voiceNathan Riki Thomson, prepared double bass Simone Spampinato, live electronics
This concert marks the release of Treasure Hunt, an album bridging Helsinki and Northeast Brazil, recorded last December at Toinen Kerros. Blending flutes, berimbau, double bass, and live electronics, the ensemble brings to life open scores created during deep listening workshops at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) in Natal.
Inspired by Pauline Oliveros and Paulo Freire, the project explores how rethinking the nature of musical scores can dismantle traditional hierarchies, foster deep social connection, and enable global cross-pollination. The performance features graphic scores developed in the UFRN Botanical Garden by Luisa Caroline de Andrade Kirschner, Aurigena da Silva Lourenço, Bárbara Costa e Silva, Pamella Carneiro Silva, Ana Claudia de Melo Siqueira, Mariana Araújo da Silva, and Livia Schweizer.
A companion booklet documenting the creative journey between Natal and Helsinki will be available at the event for a pay-what-you-wish donation!!!
What is the treasure?!Sometimes the treasure is finding a seed, shaped like a monkey’s ear, hidden in the dirt. Sometimes it is hearing a story that wakes what has been sleeping
inside you.
Sometimes it is a small object or a word that pulls a childhood memory back into the light, or finding yourself in a hidden park only because your plans fell apart.
The treasure is realizing it is enough to sit in an empty room and see that the sky is plenty. It is enough to write a line that makes someone else sing.
The treasure is creating that sound where you meet with the other,
realizing that we are more than the sum of our parts.
The treasure is a listening ear, and the person beside you who begins to resonate, too.
The treasure is knowing that a whole world of meaning can be carried by a single tiny seed, a word, or a sound. It is the way we walk into that world together, learning how we belong to one another. The treasure is cultivating curiosity and an open mind, keeping the path ahead of us open and fertile.
PERFORMERS:
Livia Schweizer is a Helsinki-based flutist, improviser, and artistic researcher dedicated to the intersection of contemporary performance, community engagement and intercultural dialogue. Originally from Italy, Livia was attracted by the Finnish music scene after graduating from the Conservatory of Livorno she moved to Helsinki to study at the Sibelius Academy with Mikael Helasvuo.
A versatile collaborator, Livia has been to play as flutist with Finland’s leading orchestras and in addition she is one of the founding members of the Earth Ears Ensemble, a group focused on contemporary music written by lesser-known composers and environmental themes.
Livia’s work is characterized by a deep curiosity for non-conventional notation, and her artistic research moves around the exploration of what can be defined as a score. As a doctoral candidate at the Sibelius Academy, she researches how graphic and alternative scores can facilitate collaboration between artists from different cultural and disciplinary backgrounds. This quest for new sonic languages has led her to participate in interdisciplinary and intercultural projects across Benin, Brazil, Aotearoa / New Zealand, the US, and throughout Europe, exploring how sound can transcend traditional boundaries.
For her seashells, hummingbirds and trees are somehow a never ending source of inspiration.
Adriano Adewale Itaúna
Adriano Adewale, a master percussionist and composer, embarks on a rhythmic odyssey that resonates with cultural richness and artistic innovation. Born with a deep-rooted passion for music, Adriano has sculpted a career that transcends borders and genres.
Rooted in the music of his home country Brazil and with a profound connection to Global music traditions, Adriano Adewale has become a celebrated figure in the global music scene. His percussive prowess encompasses an array of instruments, from the traditional pandeiro to the mesmerizing sounds of tuned PVC tubes, crafting a unique sonic palette that defies convention.
Adriano’s musical journey is marked by collaboration and exploration. His compositions are a tapestry of diverse influences, blending samba’s infectious rhythms, the improvisational spirit of jazz, and haunting beautiful melodies. Through his work, he invites audiences to embark on a cultural voyage, where music serves as a universal language that bridges gaps and fosters unity.
Beyond the stage, Adriano Adewale’s dedication to music education and community engagement shines brightly. His commitment to sharing the transformative power of music with younger generations is a testament to his belief in its capacity to inspire and uplift.
He has been featured in over 30 albums and collaborated with Benjamim Taubkin, Joanna McGregor to mention but a few. Adriano’s career, spanning decades, has left an indelible mark on the global music landscape. His unwavering authenticity and innovative spirit ensure that his rhythmic journey continues to captivate and enchant audiences around the world.
Adriano loves food, herbal medicine and loves spending time in nature.Simone Spampinato is a sonic arts and field recording practitioner focusing on the relationship between music and the epiphenome of musicality.His works have been performed, installed, and exhibited at various European festivals, including Musica Nova Festival (FI), SipoonÄânet (FI), Optižūns (LV), Jauna Muzika (LT), FOG Festival (CH) Musikschule Basel Akut (CH), Tempio Festival (DE), Fondazione Merz (ITA), MilanOltre (ITA), Spazio Murka (ITA), and AAmod Festival (ITA).
Nathan Riki Thomson is professor of Global Music and Community Engagement at Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki. He is a double bass player, multi-instrumentalist, composer, researcher, and educator with a core focus on intercultural dialogue and collaboration. Nathan was born to parents from Aotearoa / New Zealand and raised in Australia on the traditional unceded lands of the Yugambeh and Bundjalung peoples. Nathan has collaborated and performed internationally with musicians from many parts of the world during the past 35 years, including a 5-year period living and working with musicians and dancers in Tanzania and Zambia. After 10 years teaching at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, Finland is now his new home, where he has been instrumental in establishing the Global Music programme and leads intercultural arts, research, and community based initiatives at the University of the Arts, Helsinki.
