Jussi Makkonen

BULLETIN
22.09.2015

CELLIST JUSSI MAKKONEN AND PIANIST NAZIG AZEZIAN’S MELODY FOREST BOOK’S CD CERTIFIED GOLD
– Gold record concert at the Savoy theatre 4.10.2015
– World premiere of the Melody Forest multimedia concert in New Orleans 27.9.2015

Credit Marko Haapalehto

Cellist Jussi Makkonen and pianist Nazig Azezian’s Melody Forest has sold over 10,000 copies and is certified gold. It is the first Finnish classical cello-piano record to have sold over 10,000 copies. The record is part of the Melody Forest book that is based on Jussi and Nazig’s school concerts. The book is written and illustrated by Katri Kirkkopelto. The book was published in January 2015 and has been distributed to every Finnish elementary school with the support of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. The book is published by Lasten Keskus & Kirjapaja Ltd., and it has also been translated into Swedish and English.

The videos of the multimedia concert have been filmed at Sibelius’ home, Ainola, in North Karelia and at Lake Pielinen where Sibelius searched for inspiration for his music. The artists’ concert costumes have been designed by the famous fashion designer Mert Otsamo.

Jussi’s hugely popular school concerts have had over 270,000 listeners since 2010. The year 2013 was a record year for him, as he performed in as many as 230 concerts.

CONCERT INFORMATION:
Melody Forest multimedia concert
4.10.2015 at 19:00
The Savoy theatre
Kasarmikatu 46-48, Helsinki

BULLETIN

11/9/2015

CELLIST JUSSI MAKKONEN TO START HIS AMERICAN TOUR ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12th

Cellist Jussi Makkonen will start his American tour in Los Angeles tomorrow on Saturday 09/12/2015. It will be his second tour in the United States this year. Together with Sibelius’ great-great-grandchild pianist Ruusamari Teppo, he will be performing in 12 Sibelius-themed concerts in total in several states. In New York and New Orleans, Jussi will be performing with pianist Nazig Azezian, with whom he has performed over 300 Sibelius concerts this year. Jussi will also arrange a masterclass for cello students in the University of Arizona in Tucson.

During the American tour, Jussi will be performing in American schools, concert halls and churches in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sunnyvale in California, in Tucson, AZ, and Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York and New Orleans. The New Orleans concert will be held at the great Orpheum Theater which has just been repaired after the hurricane Katrina that ravaged the city 10 years ago. The famous Symphony Chorus of New Orleans will be performing in the concert with Jussi and pianist Nazig Azezian.

The concert tour is part of Jussi Makkonen’s Sibelius jubilee tour during which he will perform in 500 concerts in Finland, Norway, Germany and the United States. See the American tour dates here: http://jussimakkonen.com/en/concerts/concerts-2015/concerts-abroad-2015/

US concerts in September

12/9
Sibelius concert
The Neighborhood Church of Pasadena, California

13/9
Sibelius concert
Incarnation Lutheran Church, San Diego, California

15/9
Sibelius concert
The Social Hall at Dove Peace Church, Tucson, AZ

16/9
Sibelius concert
The University of Arizona, Recital Hall

17/9
Masterclass
Masterclass for cello students, University of Arizona

19/9
Sibelius concert
Finnish school Suomikoulu, Sunnyvale, AZ

20/9
Sibelius concert
Sunnyvale, AZ

21/9
Sibelius concert
Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church, Manhattan, New York, NY

22/9
Sibelius concert
School concert, Edison School, Port Chester, NY

23/9
Sibelius concert
The Church of Epiphany, Washington, D.C.

24/9
Sibelius concert
The Art Therapy Institution of Washington, D.C.

25/9
Sibelius concert
Annandael High School

Sibelius concert
St. Batholomew’s Episcopal Church, Baltimore, MD

27/9
Sibelius concert
The Orpheum Theatre, New Orleans, LA
Symphony Chorus of New Orleans

Additional information:
Communications manager Katja Toivanen, tel. +358407011686,
katja.toivanen@helsinkicalling.com

Iltalehti published a new music video by cellist Jussi Makkonen and pianist Nazig Azezian. The work is Sibelius Impromptu op. 5.5.

The music video can be viewed from the magazine’s website.

Video can also be found at cellist Jussi Makkonen YouTube channel.

Music video was filmed in the midsummer 2014 at Monola, Pielinen and Lieksa church. The video is a dreamy honeymoon to return Sibelius landscapes: the presence of the dream world and the Kalevala mystique that fascinated Jean Sibelius as a child. While staying in Ainola, Sibelius used to ask his grandchildren first thing in the morning, “What did you dream last night?”

Concert Centre (Konserttikeskus) 50th anniversary will be celebrated on 11th april at the Helsinki Music Hall. Cellist Jussi Makkonen is one of the speakers at the seminar celebration. Other speakers at the celebration are M.A. Numminen and Scott Rodgers from Norway. In his speech, Jussi Makkonen deals with the interaction and communication between performer and audience. In addition, Jussi reveals how the public interest is captured, and how even the most challenging school audience is caught up in a memorable musical journey.

Added 12.5. The speech in Finnish can be viewed in the link: Perspectives on facing your audience.

More than 200 000 people have seen Cellist Jussi Makkonen school concerts. Ahead of Jussi are busy years, because 2015 will be the 150th anniversary of the birth of  the composer Jean Sibelius. The year 2017, in turn, marks the 100th anniversary of Finnish independence. Over the coming years cellist Makkonen’s aim is to reach more than 500 000 children and adults all over the world.