Last concert before the next war?
UncategorizedA group of artists from the Baltic and former Soviet states have gathered in Helsinki this afternoon to play out their differences.
Here’s their manifesto:
We have decided to get together to remind each other that the only sustainable way to solve our conflicts is by working together. This is a statement on behalf of all people and peaceful development.
We are facing huge shared challenges, so huge that we really do not need them to be further complicated by military encounters. If we want a chance to meet these challenges, we have to decide – today – to accept our differences. Not even our biggest disagreements justify abandoning peaceful, constructive practice.
Our ensemble of players is gathered from many countries. There are also strong differences of opinion amongst us. Still, confronting our common goal, a successful musical performance, we are perfectly capable of focusing on working together. We are proof of people’s desire to do good and to create beauty. This time we are not here to solve our problems, but to build common ground on which to face them.
Let us focus on giving the future a chance.
*
The concert is live-streamed here.
These are the players:
Participating artists
| Aalto-Setälä | Kerttu | flute |
| Ahtinen | Timo | double bass |
| Ali-Mattila | Teppo | violin |
| Antola | Iida | soprano |
| Anttila | Martti | tenor |
| Batiashvili | Lisa | violin |
| Bezrodny | Anna Liisa | violin |
| Binder | David | trombone |
| Brostek | Magdalena | cello |
| Bugnot | Thomas | trumpet |
| Buinovschi | Ion | violin |
| Büchert | Mads | timpanist / percussionist |
| Chousovskii | Anton | violin |
| Coleman | Amelia | english horn / oboe |
| Dmitri | Ermilov | trumpet |
| Dmitrjev | Aleksei | bassoon |
| Eerola | Inka | violin |
| Ernesaks | Greta | cello |
| Franzon | Johanna | violin |
| Frostén | Harri | violin |
| Gil Shaked | Agababa | clarinet |
| Gorkun-Silén | Iryna | flute |
| Grans | Peter | double bass |
| Grans | Pontus | double bass |
| Gricius | Tomas | trumpet |
| Gustafsson | Jan-Erik | cello |
| Haikola | Anna-Leena | violin |
| Heikinheimo | Siljamari | violin |
| Helander | Jaani | cello |
| Hendricks | Barbara | vocal |
| Hoffström | Anna | violin |
| Hohti | Hanna | viola |
| Hohti | Markus | cello |
| Holmström | Emil | piano |
| Horttana | Helmi | violin |
| Hurttia | Linnea | violin |
| Hyväkkö | Jarmo | clarinet |
| Indermühle | Nicolas | tuba |
| Itoh | Eri | violin |
| Ivars | Mikko | cello |
| Juris | Dani | bass |
| Juutilainen | Hanna | flute |
| Juvonen | Sirpa | viola |
| Jämsä | Henna | clarinet |
| Kares | Jenny | flute/piccolo |
| Kaukola | Ritva | viola |
| Kauppinen | Maiju | violin |
| Kilpeläinen | Atte | viola |
| Kitaeva | Maria | violin |
| Kivistö | Jenni | violin |
| Kivivuori | Kimmo | viola |
| Klas | Eri | conductor |
| Koistinen | Arto | viola |
| Koivisto | Juha-Pekka | violin |
| Komsi | Nuppu | violin |
| Koponen | Matti | violin |
| Koskimies | Minna | piano |
| Kotka | John | trombone |
| Kumela | Petri | guitar |
| Kupiainen | Heini | piano |
| Kuusava | Kati | violin |
| Kuusisto | Pekka | violin |
| Kärnä | Noora | contrabassoon |
| Laivuori | Jaakko | viola |
| Lake | Carly | french horn |
| Larionov | Oleg | viola |
| Latvala | Tero | violin |
| Lehikoinen | Lotte | alto |
| Lehto | Tuomas | cello |
| Lehtola | Jarno | tenor |
| Luolajan-Mikkola | Mikko-Ville | violin |
| Maalismaa | Eriikka | violin |
| Maijala | Lilli | viola |
| Malmivaara | Paula | oboe |
| Mattila | Elina | cello |
| Mellberg | Niklas | teorbi |
| Murdvee | Mikk | violin |
| Mussafia | Barbara | cello |
| Mäkinen | Pasi | trombone |
| Nikula | Heikki | bassclarinet |
| Nironen | Sirja | cello |
| Nisonen | Tanja | french horn |
| Pajuoja | Hannu | french horn |
| Palola | Erkki | violin |
| Parviainen | Hanna | violin |
| Pensola | Minna | violin |
| Podyachev | Ivan | viola |
| Pulkamo | Kaisa | viola |
| Raikas | Johannes | contrabass |
| Rantanen | Simo | trumpet |
| Raulamo | Jaakko | cello |
| Resjan | Valeria | piano |
| Reskalenko | Olga | viola |
| Rintamäki | Sirkku | mezzosopraano |
| Rinta-Rahko | Anna | double bass |
| Ristiluoma | Riitta-Liisa | viola |
| Rouvali | Santtu-Matias | conductor |
| Ruskeepää | Tuomas | french horn |
| Saarikoski | Mauri | violin |
| Salminen | Annu | french horn |
| Sarantola | Markus | viola |
| Schweckendiek | Nils | conductor |
| Segerstam | Leif | conductor |
| Severeide | Päivi | harp |
| Silén | Sebastian | violin |
| Stasevska | Dalia | viola / conductor |
| Stasevski | Lukas | cello |
| Sundroos | Pia | violin |
| Suomela | Soineli | oboe / french horn |
| Suoranta | Antti | timp / perc |
| Söderblom | Jan | violin / conductor |
| Takacs | Zoltan | violin |
| Tikkanen | Antti | violin |
| Tollet | Susanna | alto |
| van Treeck | Outi | flute/piccolo |
| Unkari | Erja | violin |
| Vehmanen | Heikki | viola |
| Vilhjámsson | Ari | violin |
| Viitala | Jussi | cello |
| Vilkman | Camilla | viola |
| Virtanen | Sini | violin |
| Vähälä | Anna | violin |
| Wikström | Tomi | timp / perc |
| Willey | Pietari | timp / perc |
| Ylivuori | Sakari | bass |
| Åström-Tiula | Annemarie | violin |
And indeed, there has never been any need for a militarisation of this situation. The rhetoric for war is coming primarily from the organisations who have most to gain (territorially, materially and financially) from beginning one.
You understand over 1000 Ukrainian soldiers have already been killed and thousands are internally and externally displaced, with at least 200 Russian tanks involved, right? I believe it is too late to worry about “starting” a war, or talking about “rhetoric.”
I understand that the populations of Donetsk (more than 1 million people) and Lugansk, not to mention the smaller towns and villages of E Ukraine have been strafed and shelled out of their homes, in an “ethnic cleansing” campaign led by Ukrainian bandit Kolomoisky. Kolomoisky isn’t leading the regular Ukrainian army – but instead a vigilante army raised from the ranks of the neo-Nazi group “Pravy Sektor”. They’ve been given uniforms, guns and salaries by the government, and retitled “The National Guard”.
You’d think that if there “200 Russian tanks”, someone would have seen them or photographed them? But they remain a figment of the imagination of the Ukrainian President and his US-imposed PM, Mr Yatsenyuk. In other words – a lie.
In your table-thumping anger, “Christy”, I wonder if you have the slightest sympathy for the actual people of Ukraine?
http://youtu.be/X2VHcGa9Qac
Because you seem to be cloning the NATO talking-points of Barack Obama and Frau Merkel – with little knowledge (or care) of what’s happening in Ukraine.
What Neil said. Those who want that war do not sit in Moscow. Hint: they sit on the other side of the Atlantic.
Wow. Alternate reality. I hope it’s nice there. And that you’re getting well paid for it.
Not being paid for posting at all.
Soon Putin’s Internet boiler room will be accusing Polish “bandits” of attacking a radio tower.
The reality is that as long as people like “Neil” exist, no concerts will make any difference regarding the actual war, and that is horribly sad. However, these events will help create further positive relationships between many countries in Central Europe, and that’s a good and very positive thing for the future.
Ukraine, Poland, the Baltics, Moldova, Bulgaria, and even countries like Finland, have a shared history and can make positive contributions to the continent, but only if they work together, even on issues where they find disagreement. Music is one of the best conduits for this.
So very charming, “Christy”! Thank you SO much.