On Tuesday, July 1st at 8:00 PM, Finnish trumpeter Mikko Pettinen will play a duo concert with pianist/composer Merlijn Angad Gaur in the concert hall of the Vreedehuis – Riouwstraat 1 in The Hague.
Sketches, Songs and Improvisations – expect original work, a beautiful old Finnish song, and of course… improvisations! A musical encounter full of contemplation, uptempo numbers, and an exploration of sounds where the silence between the notes speaks…
Mikko Pettinen is one of Finland’s most famous trumpet players. He’s coming to the Netherlands, and that doesn’t happen often!
Tickets cost Euro 12.50 and can be purchased in the evening of the concert at the venue. Registration is appreciated but not required – you’re always welcome!
You can register via this link
Background story
It started with a simple commission. In 2021, Dutch composer Merlijn Angad Gaur was asked to write choral music for the Finnish women’s choir Pihlaja. What began as a creative assignment blossomed into an extraordinary musical friendship.
When Merlijn traveled to Helsinki in 2022, trumpeter Mikko Pettinen joined their rehearsals for an improvisation session. The connection was instant. “From the first note we played together, there was musical recognition,” Merlijn recalls. “I really felt that musically it was completely in sync…”
Two musical worlds collided: the Dutch composer with his classical background and jazz influences, and the versatile Finnish musician who plays trumpet, keyboards, sings, and composes across genres from the renowned UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra to world music ensembles.
After a concert in The Hague in 2023, they decided to record together. The perfect moment came after performing in Helsinki’s breathtaking Temppeliaukio Church. In a small church nearby, they let the music “do the work”, and Sketches, Songs and Improvisations was created.