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Course
details
Jorma
Juhani Panula was born in 1930 in Kauhajoki, Ostrobathnia,
Finland. Both his parents were musically talented; his father
was a master violinist and his mother a pianist. Jorma´s
brothers, Timo amd Mauno, also inherited musical skills from
their parents, so it was, therefore, no surprisen that, with
their parents, they formed a Family Orchestra. Jorma played
the violin, Timo the cello, and Mauno the clarinet.
As
a talented and keen schoolboy Jorma was already hungry for music.
He arranged a variety of different songs and founded, led and
conducted a school choir in a wide range of musical styles.
He was also interested in dance music and in Tapio Turja´s
band he got to know Ostrobothnia thoroughly, while making himself
some pocket money.
Jorma
Panula started started to study music officially in 1948, in
the department of church music at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
After graduating from there as an organist he continued his
studies in Copenhagen, Denmark, under the tutelage of Finn Vinder.
Jorma
Panula´s main interest, however, proved to be in orchestral
conducting, in which he had some practice when conductin his
father´s orchestra in Kauhajoki. Not long after graduating
he began to study conducting at the Sibelius Academy under the
tutelabe of the renowned Professor Leo Funtek. Later he also
studied under Dean Dixon in Lund, Sweden, and with Franco Ferrara
in Hilversum, The Netherlands.
Jorma
Panula now began to take his first steps on the path to the
noble art of conductiong. At first his conduction skills were
put to use in provincial theatres: in Vaasa, Lahti and Tampere.
Soon after the philharmonic orchestras of these cities also
recognsided his talent. As his reputation grew he conducted
at the Helsinki City Theatre and, in 1962-63, at the Finnish
National Opera. In late 1963 he moved to the Turku Philharmonic.
Subsequently musical life of Turku prospered. People went
to the concerts in increasing numbers, first to what were
known as public music concerts featuring popular music and
then to classical concerts played by the symphony orchestra.
Between 1965-72 Jorma Panual conducted the Helsinki Philharmonic
Orchestra where his work included all the symphonies of Mahler
and Bruckner, many of the symphonies of Stravinksy and Shostakovich
and contemporary world premiers. After his period with the
Helsinki Philharmonic, demands for appearances around the
world as guest conductor increased. He was engaged at Aarhus
in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden; eventually the whole
of Scandinavia became familiar with his work. During this
Nilson, Leonid Kogan, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yehudi Menuhin -
to mention only a few of those with whom he had a long musical
cooperation.
Joma
Panula is also know as a composer of many well-known songs,
even pop songs, and musicals like Ruma Elsa, Syntipukki,
Yli Atlantin, Puukkojunkkarit and Tulipunakukka,
as well as music for theatre plays like Seitsemän
veljestä, Daniel Hjort and Antti-Fantti.
He has also enjoyed an outstanding career as an opera
composer: Jaakko IIkka, Jokiooppera, Uhirvalkeat,
Kuula 1918, Lalli ja Pyhä Henrikki and
the medical doctors´ opera, Haavurikukko, are
considered to be
his masterpieces.
Summer
vespers Peltomiehen rukous has been a great success
in Finland as well as in many other countries around the world.
Folk
music is dear to Jorma Panula´s heart and he has worked
as an artistic director of the ´Spelit´festival
for many years. He has composed a large number of folk pieces
and has often referred to himself as a folk musician.
This
easily-smiling man, who often wears the national costume of
the Ostrobothnia
region, is also world famous for his ability to teach conductors.
He has been called the maestro of maestros and the man who
moulds maestros. He was a Professor at the Sibelius Academy
for 20 years from 1973. Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste,
Osmo Vänskä, Sakari Oramo, Mikko Franck, Atso Almila
and many, many other talented young conductors studied under
his tutelage in Finland and abroad. Since 1986 Jorma Panula
has taught in Stockholm as a professor at the Academy of Music
even though he retired from the Sibelius Academy in 1993.
This
maestro of maestros is also famous round the world for his
master classes. They gained an astonishing amount of attention
in Copenhagen (Denmark), Tanglewood, Boston (USA), Ottawa
(Canada), Westfield (Australia); Verona (Italy), Pärnu
(Estonia), San Sebastian (Spain), Moscow (Russia), Stockholm
(Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Plzen (Czech Republic) and many,
many other places. Even in his 70´s his natural enthusiasm
am willingness to teach makes him still ready to travel the
world to help young people to become better conductors.
It
is often said that Panula teaches without a method. Of course
this is an exaggeration but the truth is that he believes
that every student after learning the principles should find
his own way of conducting. Methods or not, Panula has his
Must! Principles. First you must have an orchestra, the instrument
of the conductor, and secondly you must have a video recorder
to show the student how they performed. But to Jorma Panula
the most important personal principle is the enthusiasm, sensitivity
and the ability to encourage students to use their personal
talents and their own individual character. He is able to
teach a great many things but only if the student has his
senses open.
In
his own character, Jorma Panula is brilliantly creative and
a very quickwitted but modest Ostrobothnian. He has never
been a self-publicist for his musical ideas; it is rather
that he exists as a conduit for music that comes straight
from his heart. To quote the world famous violinist Yehudi
Menuhin: Óne of the most gifted young conductors I
have ever known is a Finn, Jorma Panula... He has a direct
way with music and with musicians - reliable, straight, unselfconscious.
And he is a truly creative conductor: he doesn´t just
beat time; he shapes music as Celibidache does...
Panula seems to me to be equally adept in all forms of music:
operas, symphonies, chamber music, accompanying concerti.
He is charming and modest, yet he conducts with no lack of
authority or vigour... He is not trying to make a
career. He doesn´t exploit life in any way. He is a
man and musician of real worth - the very opposite of publicized
importance.´
Quelle:
Bruno Taajamaa / Jorma Panula / Meastron muotokuva, Recallmed
Oy, Klaukkala 2002
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