HELSINKI NOIR SUITE - SEARCHING FOR TAPIO

Friday 27.02.2026 at 7pm Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall

Ricky-Tick Big Band & Kuopio Symphony Orchestra
Valtteri Pöyhönen, conductor
Emilia Sisco, vocals

Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen: Helsinki Noir Suite – Searching for Tapio
(E.L. Karhu, libretto)

Searching for Tapio is a tale of the mythical forest spirit Tapio, who is forced to flee his ancient primeval forest home due to logging. Tapio’s former flame finds him as a refugee in a dystopian, Blade Runner-style Helsinki, where the spirit of nature has taken a job at a bar. The work is a mythical statement on Finnish forest policy and a poetic story of lost love.

The dark-toned, captivating, lurking, and multi-layered Helsinki Noir Suite gains depth and cinematic hues as the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra takes the stage alongside the 17-member Ricky-Tick Big Band and soul star Emilia Sisco. Expect warm sounds in the spirit of Henry Mancini and Michel Legrand, infused with a Scandinavian mystical atmosphere.

What would jazz orchestra music sound like if it could only be born in Finland? Composer and jazz musician Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen’s answer to this question is Helsinki Noir Suite, his most extensive composition to date, premiered at the Helsinki Festival. It is also his most personal and distinctive work. Musical influences from 1960s Finnish schlager can be heard in the melodies, from Sibelius and Shostakovich in the harmonies and moods and the drum rhythms are inspired by hip-hop producer J Dilla and modern electronic textures.

Ricky-Tick Big Band is a jazz orchestra and rhythm machine led by Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen, offering no mercy. This energetic, bold, and innovative ensemble tramples the threshold of jazz resistance without hesitation. Founded in 2010, the band consists of carefully selected top jazz musicians of its generation, whose tentacles have spread to every corner of the Finnish music scene.

Finnish-Zambian Emilia Sisco, whose voice and songwriting style have captivated listeners around the world, is a rising star in the soul music scene. Her powerful voice blends elements of both old and new soul, jazz, and blues. Sisco’s debut solo album Introducing, released in 2024, was awarded Album of the Year at the Funky Awards in February 2025. She also won the Audience Choice award for Artist of the Year and placed second overall.

Duration approx. 1 hour 50 minutes, including intermission.

Produced by the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra
Tickets: 36,60 € / 31,10 € senior citizens and groups min. 20 persons / 10,60 € children under the age of 16 and students and young people under the age of 20

Entertainment Package Spring 2026 – Three Unforgettable Concert Experiences

Secure your seat for the most thrilling musical moments of the spring with one package! The Entertainment Package includes admission to three top concerts:

January 15 Best of Bollywood
February 27 Helsinki Noir Suite
March 20 An evening with Mikko Alatalo

Price: 87 € / 72 € for seniors
On sale until January 15, 2026
BUY THE PACKAGE

Three evenings filled with musical magic, stories, and symphonic brilliance – all with one ticket.