Tumman taivaan taika

Finnish Yule is a combination of the magic and atmosphere of the dark arctic winter, the light of the sparkling snow and candles, shining hope to the people huddling together. With these themes in mind we set off to plan a Christmas album where we wanted to combine both traditional Christmas songs and new choral music. 

The Tumman taivaan taika album contains multiple previously unpublished pieces. Our choir’s house composer, an alumnus of the choir Elina Majuri composed two new songs for the album. The titular song Tumman taivaan taika is based on a text written by Katariina Lantto, a multi-talented creator in the field of theatre and culture, and the text for Jouluyö is a poem written by Immi Hellén in 1916. 

Composer and choir conductor Sabrina Ljunberg’s cheerful Tule armas joulu! is based on an 1870’s poem by Sakari Topelius. The mysterious Metsien joulu was originally written for the Finnish vocal group Viisi, and for our album, composer Virpi Eroma has created a new mixed choir arrangement. Rounding out the album we have both traditional versions and fresh arrangements of familiar Yuletide carols.

We wish you enjoyable moments with our music!

Conductor: Johanna Lantto
Producer: Tampereen Akateemiset Laulajat ry
Artistic producer: Saara Aittakumpu
Recording, editing and mastering: Kuisma Eskola
Cover art and graphic design: Katariina Kirves
Photos: Tuomas Mikkolainen
Album committee: Aapo Alasuutari, Noora Haimila, Elias Halkola, Sami Hartala, Tomi Lahtimo, Sampo Lahtinen, Johanna Lantto, Jenni Pakula, Emmi Vuorinen

Recorded in Teisko church, Tampere, in May 2022.

Support Foundation of Tampere University of Technology, Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland (TEK) and Tampereen ylioppilastalosäätiö Foundation have supported the making of this album.

Teekkarikuoro

Founded in 1985, Teekkarikuoro is one of the most prominent student choirs in Tampere. Having been active for more than 35 years, the choir prides itself in making ambitious music with a relaxed attitude, all the while maintaining high quality. The core repertoire of the mixed choir of approximately 50 members consists of pop music and classical choir pieces, and also includes modern choir music and drinking songs. Each year the choir organizes competitions for arranging new choir music and writing drinking songs, which add to the choir’s repertoire of original music. The choir also commissions new music from different composers.

The choir is based at the Hervanta campus of Tampere University. Most of the members are students and alumni of technological disciplines but the choir welcomes all, regardless of their field of study. The choir members spend a lot of time together, organizing different events and activities. There is also a smaller a cappella group, TeekkariKvartti, that performs independently.

Tumman taivaan taika is the third album by Teekkarikuoro, and the previous records are Tuopin täydeltä (2010) and Alussa oli insinööri (2016).

Johanna Lantto

Johanna Lantto is a choir conductor, musician and M.Sc. of environmental engineering from Tampere who started her journey with Teekkarikuoro as a choir member in the year 2000. She has conducted Teekkarikuoro from 2006 and is thus the choir’s longest-standing and most influential conductor. Lantto holds a bachelor’s degree as music pedagogue, majoring in choir conducting, from Pirkanmaa University of Applied Sciences and she graduated as a Master of music pedagogy from Tampere University of Applied Sciences. Lantto has conducted various choirs in the Pirkanmaa area including the children’s choirs of the Tampere Conservatoire and the mixed choir Pikantit. She plays the accordion and the piano, and sings in various classical and popular music ensembles. Lantto has received the Tampere University of Technology’s Student Union’s medal of honour for her cultural work at the university. 

Tumman taivaan taika

lyr. Katariina Lantto

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