Pekka Kostiainen's long and impressive career as a composer and choir conductor is undoubtedly based on his profound understanding of and widely recognised expertise in choral music. As a conductor, he collaborated for several decades with the Vox Aurea Children's Choir and the Musica Choir. Kostiainen also wrote several of his choral works for these choirs.

His flexible composition technique allows him to adapt his musical goals and intentions into a range of different circumstances. He not only exploits the choir's expressive potential in a captivating manner, but also takes into account the performer's technical capabilities and overall musical experience. His technical flexibility is very much appreciated among the performers, in particular when it comes to the heterogeneous and highly ambivalent language of contemporary music.

Although Kostiainen's oeuvre is predominated by choral music, he is not solely known for his choral works. Kostiainen has also composed a large number of chamber music, works for orchestra, as well as several concertos, including a concerto for the Finnish national instrument Kantele. Additionally, his massive oeuvre also comprises two operas.

Kostiainen's musical originality is perhaps most evident in the works inspired by Kalevala or Finnish folk poetry. Humour, too, is often wonderfully present in his music. Sacred and organ music also constitute an important genre for Kostiainen. There is an ingeniously creative imprint of the renaissance vocal tradition perceivable in Kostiainen's sacred works.

As a composer and choir conductor, Kostiainen has been awarded several national and international prizes. His music has been - and continues to be - performed and recorded all around the world.

Groups Directed

The Musica Choir