The Anglo-Finnish Society

Blog

  • On the Border – a screening and discussion at the Finnish Church

    Wednesday 9 October 2013, 7 – 9pm

    Lizzie Thynne’s new documentary explores her Finnish family’s history prompted by the letters, objects, and photographs left in her mother, Lea’s, apartment. Fragmented memories, dreams, and diary entries are juxtaposed with the director’s journey to significant places and people in that history from during and after the Russo-Finnish wars, 1939 – 1944.  Her mother, Lea, and her siblings were evacuated from the disputed border territory of Karelia and Lea’s father was killed in 1941, fighting alongside the Germans against the Soviets. The story of her father’s death in action is contrasted with the more indirect impact of the war and its aftermath on the destinies of Lea, her mother and siblings. Lea began to see and hear things from age 42. Thynne searches for the causes of her mother’s breakdown as well as acknowledging that she can only understand her family’s past through her own experience and imagination. In this hypnotic work of mourning and remembrance, past and present, associations, memory and imagining intertwine, as the film charts the lingering traces of conflict and exile across generations.

  • The Finnish Art Group Autumn Exhibition at the Finnish Church 17-30 October

    The Finnish Art Group is holding its autumn exhibition at the Finnish Church, access available at the usual opening times of the Church.

  • Elina Brotherus at the Photographers Gallery 11 October to 5 January

    The Photographers Gallery is presenting Home Truths: Photography, Motherhood and Identity an exhibition exploring representations of motherhood through the works of eight contemporary artists including Elina Brotherus

  • Karita Mattila in Wozzeck at Covent Garden from 31 October – 15 November

    Karita Mattila sings the role of Marie in Alban Berg’s Wozzeck. Sir Mark Elder conducts and Simon Keenleyside sings the title role of the poor soldier who tries to support his girlfriend Marie and their young son while battling mental illness. When the brutal Drum Major seduces Marie, Wozzeck is driven to violent action. The performance dates are 31 October and 5, 8, 12 and 15 November.

  • Kimmo Pohjonen and Kronos Quartet at the Barbican

    Kimmo Pohjonen, Samuli Kosminen and the Kronos Quartet  will perform Uniko which was originally commissioned by the Kronos Quartet and first performed in Helsinki in 2004. The Kronos Quartet is well-known for commissioning new and challenging work for their genre. By commissioning Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen their extraordinary skills at stretching and reinventing their own sound-world are applied also to the strings to create new musical territory. It will be interesting!

    The concert starts at 8.00pm

  • Oddarrang at Kings Place

    Oddarrang is an experimental Finnish band whose music defies being placed in any one genre but in which can be heard influences of jazz, classical, world music and post-modern rock. The instrumental line-up is trombone, cello, guitar, acoustic bass and drums. The concert starts at 6.15pm so you could also book for the following concert at the same venue, Olivia Chaney + special guests

  • BBC Proms

    Thursday 29 August at 7.30 pm at the Royal Albert Hall

    Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra in the overture to Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor,  the UK premiere Peter Eötvös’ DoReMi (violin soloist Midori) and Bruckner’s Symphony No 7

    Friday 30 August at 7.30 at the Royal Albert Hall

    Vladimir Jurowski will conduct the LPO  performing Bantock’s The Witch of Atlas, Sibelius Pohjola’s Daughter,  Strauss  Also Sprach Zarathustra and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 3, soloist Anika Vavic

    Wednesday 4 September at 7.30pm at the Royal Albert Hall

    Osmo Vänskä will conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra performing Gorecki’s Symphony No 3, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs (soprano soloist Ruby Hughes), Vaughan Williams Four Last Songs (mezzo-soprano soloist Jennifer Johnston) and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 6, Pathetique.

     

  • Alvar Aalto – Lyödään hepnaadilla!

    Mike Lawless takes as his title for his talk on Alvar Aalto a phrase which Aalto often used and which he feels encapsulates Aalto’s impact on the world of architecture. Mike Lawless has been a frequent visitor to Finland and is interested in Aalto as an individual and his influence, which he considers may be more important now than it was in his own time and his impact which may be even greater outside Finland than in his home country.

    Mike Lawless is one of the founding directors of LA architects in East Sussex. He has been a Board member and vice chairman of RIBA Enterprises. He is much involved in the regional work of RIBA and has been on their judging panel for regional awards.

    The meeting will be at the Finnish Institute, 35-36 Eagle Street, London WC1 at 6.00 for 6.30pm. Members wishing to attend should notify the Hon. Secretary in the usual way. Non-members should contact the Hon Secretary via the contact form on this website.

  • British Landscapes

    In the course of deciding on our programme for the autumn, we thought we should from time to time address the Anglo part of our remit, rather than only the Finnish. So, for our first formal meeting this autumn, we will have a presentation on British Landscapes by Dr Jenny Lunn of the Royal Geographical Society. She works on the Discovering Britain project which is a series of geographically-themed walks which the RGS has devised with the Institute of British Geographers. The aim of the walks is to engage the brain as well as the feet and to tell stories about the diversity of landscapes in Britain and to inspire people to explore why Britain is as it is today.

    Before Dr Lunn’s talk there will also be an informal opportunity (from 15.00 to 15.45) for members to examine old maps and other materials held by the RGS relating to Finland. Capacity is limited, so please let the Hon. Secretary know as soon as possible (and in any event no later than 12 September) whether you wish to attend. The RGS is on the corner of Kensington Gore and Exhibition Road. Those attending should present themselves at the entrance in Exhibition Road between 15.00 and 15.30. Coffee and tea will be available at 15.45 and Dr Lunn’s talk will start at 16.00. Members wishing to attend should notify the Hon. Secretary in the usual way. Non-members should contact the Hon Secretary via the contact form on this website.

  • The Sami People of the North

    Neil Kent is Professor of European History and Culture at The Russian Academy of Art in St Petersberg. He is also an Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge. Many of his books have concentrated on the Nordic countries and past publications which will be of particular interest to AFS Members include The Soul of the North: a Social, Architectural and Cultural History of the Nordic Countries , 1770-1940 and Helsinki: a Cultural and Literary History. His new book, which will be published in October, is the first comprehensive social and cultural history of the Sámi people of the Nordic countries and north-western Russia. Prof. Kent will introduce the book and we anticipate that copies will be available for purchase.

    The meeting will be at the Finnish Institute, 35-36 Eagle Street, London WC1 at 6.00 for 6.30pm. Members wishing to attend should notify the Hon. Secretary in the usual way. Non-members should contact the Hon Secretary via the contact form on this website.