Jyväskylä in the Party Spirit
Jyväskylä received city rights in the year 1837, so it is celebrating its 170th birthday on the 22nd of March 2007 - for one whole week. The Jyväskylä Week offers a wide variety of events in different parts of the town from Monday 19 March to Sunday 25 March. The open door events, dance and theatre performances, sightseeing tours, music performances, story-telling sessions, concerts and exhibitions bring joy to people of all ages.
To honour the jubilee, this year’s programme focuses on highlighting the skills of local artists. Jyväskylä-based theatres, choirs, professionals and students of music, cultural institutes and units of the City have meritoriously contributed to the programme of the Jyväskylä Week.
Birthday events all over Jyväskylä
Both residents and visitors can explore Jyväskylä through the multifaceted performances as well as guided tours and open-door events.
- On the birthday, Thursday 22 March, the Kirjailijatalo (Writers’ House, Seminaarinkatu 26) keeps its doors open all day long. You are also welcome to explore the club activities of Mansikkapuisto, a meeting point for children and families in Huhtasuo.
- The City Hall (Vapaudenkatu 32) is open to visitors on Saturday 24 March. You can see a film on Jyväskylä in the 1950’s and a recent DVD on the city, as well as meeting local freshly elected members of parliament, trustees and civil servants in positions of authority.
- In the city sightseeing tours, which have already become a tradition, you are now introduced to the 170-year-long history of Jyväskylä through statues and monuments. Departure on Saturday 24 March at 11.00, 13.00 and 15.00 in front of the City Hall (Vapaudenkatu 32). Guided tours are also arranged into the colourful history of the Nikolainkulma building (Asemakatu 6) on 22 March at 13.00 and 15.30.
Music for all ages
The programme of the birthday week features a wide variety of concerts and music performances:
- This is the 100th anniversary of the first conductor of Jyväskylä Sinfonia Ahti Karjalainen. His life work is paid a tribute through the concert ”Unforgettable Harmonies” by Jyväskylä Sinfonia on Wednesday 21 March at 19.00 (Taulumäki Church). You can also listen to the composer’s production in a chamber concert in Kuokkalan kartano on Tuesday 20 March at 19.00.
- In the active choir town, as many as thirty enthusiastic choirs are willing to participate in the celebration of their home town by bringing their music to different parts of the town. The choral greetings climax in the evening of the birthday 22 March at 19.00 with choir singers of different ages filling the stage of the University Assembly Hall (Jyväskylän yliopiston juhlasali).
- The Musica choir celebrates its 30th anniversary during the week. The programme offers two concerts of the choir under the baton of Pekka Kostiainen. The celebratory concert takes place at the City Theatre on Sunday 25 March at 15.00 and the release concert of the hymn record at the City Church (Kaupunginkirkko) on Saturday 24 March at 19.00. In addition, the first performance of Kostiainen’s kantele work can be heard in the concert ‘Kielten kertomaa’ in Nikolainsali (Asemakatu 6) on Friday 23 March at 18.30.
- The programme of the Jyväskylä Week also includes various concerts organized by local music institutions, featured by young music talents.
- Children and their families can enjoy music related to old fairy tales and stories in the concert of Satu Sopanen and the Loiskis orchestra, taking place in the University Assembly Hall (Jyväskylän yliopiston juhlasali) on Tuesday 20 March at 18.30. The Loiskis will also give two concerts with Clown Dodo during the week: on Tuesday 20 March at 9.30 in Halssila School (Lokintie 9) and on Thursday 22 March at 9.00 in Keljonkangas School (Aapistie 2). In addition to the joy of music, the concerts offer a jolly package of non-verbal and visual clown theatre.
Fairy tales and stories
- The birthday week is sheer celebration for the friends of fairy tales: the story-telling sessions by Pahnanpohjimmaiset tour the libraries, and the pupils of basic studies in verbal art bring joy with their own stories. In the children’s theatre performances, you can see how Miguel, the Indian boy, lives; find out whether a panda baby can be brought from Finland back to its home in China, and admire the world of colours during the adventures of little Sirkku.
- The play about the Tapper brothers ‘Mihin sateenkaari päättyy’ (Where the rainbow ends) goes on at the City Theatre. Jyväskylä is full of opportunities to learn to know the Tapper brothers, as the Art Museum, the Main Library and the City Theatre all showcase their artistic production through e.g. exhibitions.
- The birthday of Jyväskylä is also celebrated in the party organized by immigrants and Finns together in Keskusseurakuntatalo (Yliopistonkatu 12) on Friday 23 March at 17.00. The programme of the party ’Jyväskylä – a Multicultural City’ includes e.g. music, dance and poetry performances.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE EVENT:
Centre for Cultural Affairs
Reeta Jääskeläinen, Cultural Producer
Tel. +358 14 624 798
www.jyvaskyla.fi/paiva
