Opening Concert of the Lahti Organ Festival

Duo Toivio: Kalle Toivio (USA), organ
Seeli Toivio (Finland), cello and vocals

The sibling duo Seeli and Kalle Toivio, originally from Lahti, will perform together for the first time at the Lahti Organ Festival. Seeli Toivio is a cellist and mezzo-soprano, and Kalle Toivio is an organist and pianist. Both hold Doctor of Music degrees — Seeli from the Sibelius Academy and Kalle from the Manhattan School of Music in New York, USA.

Kalle Toivio serves as Director of Music and Organist for the Corpus Christi and Notre Dame Parish (merged in 2023) in New York City. He won an international organ improvisation competition in the U.S. a few years ago, and his improvisations will be featured in the concert — with Seeli occasionally joining in on cello.

In addition to cello, Seeli will also perform as a singer (mezzo-soprano). She was a finalist in the most recent Toivo Kuula Singing Competition and won a special prize. In this concert, she will sing and play cello in works by composers such as Armas Järnefelt and Toivo Kuula. The duo will also perform music by Astor Piazzolla, among others.

Tickets: €20 from Ticketmaster
(Ticket prices include a €2.00 service fee. Additional order fees may apply depending on the payment method. Delivery charges vary by method — eTickets are free. A separate €1.50 order fee is also applied.)
Tickets can also be purchased at the door one hour before the concert.

Programme:
J. S. Bach (1685–1750)
Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654
Erbarme dich, mein Gott BWV 244
Air

Toivo Kuula (1883–1918)
Kesäyö kirkkomaalla op. 6 nro. 1 (V. A. Koskenniemi)

J. S. Bach
Praeludium et Fuga in e BWV 548

Oskar Merikanto (1868–1924)
Kun päivä paistaa op. 24 nro. 1 (Hilja Haahti)

Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)
Obilivion (1982)

Improvisation