FEMALE CHOIR VÄLKE

In 2008 a group of women who had been singing in Oulainen Youth Choir decided to form a female choir. They were longing for the old days singing together with ambition. The choir was named Välke, which can be translated as “glint”. The choir asked Tapani Tirilä, the conductor of Oulainen Youth Choir, to be the artistic director of Välke. Tirilä was glad to took up the task. Up to this day the singers of Välke are mainly former singers of Oulainen Youth Choir. They live across Finland and gather together to practise in Oulainen every few weeks.

Välke has been successful in international competitions. In 2015 the choir took part in an international choir competition Canta Al Mar Choir Festival in Barcelona and Calella. Välke participated in two categories and reached the gold medal level in both. Already in 2013 the choir had reached the gold medal level in a choir festival held in Malta. The latest travel abroad took place in Riga, Latvia, where the Europian Choir Games 2017 was held. Välke reached the silver medal level in both categories they participated, lacking only half a point from the gold medal level in one of the categories.

Välke has performed both in Finland and abroad. Concerts together with Oulainen Youth Choir and Chamber Choir Vox Ardens are held frequently in Oulainen. Välke has also performed in Vaasa Choir Festival and Hetta Music Event. In November 2016 Välke performed Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, together with the Guards Band, top soloists and five other choirs. The production was performed in Oulainen Music Week, Snellman Hall in Kokkola, Sibelius Hall in Lahti and Musiikkitalo in Helsinki.

Välke was awarded Choir of the Year in 2015 and nominated as “Vuoden valopilkku” by the Finnish Female Choir Association.

Välke is a member of the Finnish Amateur and Musicians’ Association (SULASOL) and the Finnish Female Choir Association.

REPERTOIRE

Välke’s repertoire is wide-ranging. It includes both old and new, and especially music from Finnish composers. Sacral music has a central role in the choir’s repertoire. Christmas songs are performed every Christmas. Some songs have also been chosen from Oulainen Youth Choirs repertoire, since almost all of the singers are former Youth Choir singers. Entertaining music is also part of the repertoire. Välke wants to create a repertoire that represents Female Choir at its best.

TAPANI TIRILÄ

Tapani Tirilä is a master of music from Oulainen, who has completed his studies at the University of Oulu and Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. In addition to his work at school, he has been active in teacher training and worked as a teacher at many different kinds of choir courses. In addition to his choir work, he is known as a distinctive, inspiring music educator.

Tapani Tirilä has conducted the Female Choir Välke since 2008, the Oulainen Youth Choir since 1972 and the Chamber Choir Vox Ardens since 1999. The Pyhäjokilaakso Male Singers he conducted for 15 years. All his choirs have had excellent success both in national and in international competitions.

In 1995 Tapani Tirilä was the artistic director of the international children's and youth choirs' Choral Festival Sympaatti. He has chaired the Association of Finnish Youth Choirs in 2000 - 2008. He was a founder of the Oulainen Music Week in 1987 and still works as a planner of the event.

He was awarded SULASOL's Klemetti award in 1989 and the Youth Choir Association's Heinz Hofmann medal in 1997. The honour of "Choir Conductor of the Year" was granted to Tapani Tirilä in 2003 by the Association of Finnish Choir Conductors. He was awarded the prestigious honorary title of Musiikkineuvos by the President of Finland in 2008. In 2017 Tirilä was invited to became an honorary Member of the Finnish Amateur and Musicians’ Association (SULASOL).