Unusual concert Consepts
Encanto Festival’s Philosophy
How was music heard in centuries past? When we look at depictions of concerts in old paintings, we immediately encounter an extraordinary diversity: in life-like scenes musicians and listeners are pictured close to each other, side-by-side in churches, chambers, in the clamour of the streets, in the great outdoors or even on the stages of castles. Dogs, cats, cooks, children, lovers and tambourine-playing jesters are all included in these colorful pictures, which is often complemented by a rich gourmet meal with a glass of wine. In these old paintings this powerfully emotional and theatrical world rests directly in front of our eyes. Music is an integral part of life.
In contrast to these scenes, the concert situation in classical music has become increasingly ritualistic during the past 150 years. The public, familiar with modern-day concert-going norms, sits quietly in their chairs while an expert orchestra outfitted in tuxedos performs under the direction of some musical authority. It can be that certain demographics, such as young listeners, don’t feel at home in this kind of environment, even though it would excellent if they were able to join in the adventure where one can discover musical treasures offered by our heritage.
Luckily, the the arts continue to bring forth new trends in many different countries. For example, in Germany skilled choreographers and playwrights such as Sasha Walz, Juan Kruz de Esnaola and Folkert Uhde have created concert series, festival concepts and performances where even small reforms are able to bring the musical experience closer to the audience. Light, space, the positioning of musicians and listeners and interdisciplinary collaboration are concrete examples of how early and classical (modern) music can interest current as well as new audiences.
Encanto in Kauniainen
The above-mentioned philosophies lead us to the cozy town of Kauniainen, where the Encanto Festival is based. The festival offers listeners a break from their usual concert experiences in their hometown, which is conveniently located within easy reach of neighboring towns and which luckily offers wonderful spaces for such events. We welcome local residents, neighbors and international guests from different countries to our musical celebration, where each concert is unique and memorable. Encanto also offers a wide variety of spaces and events for meeting and spending time with a wide range of people.
The Encanto Festival combines local, domestic and international worlds in a joyful way. For example, the Encanto House Band, the festival’s resident ensemble, is made up of renowned musicians from Finland and abroad, who share an enthusiasm for experimental and novel projects. There are also many well-known international ensembles which are guests of the festival. Encanto regularly collaborates with Radialsystem V (a Berlin-based space for arts and ideas), well as with other international festivals. In the long-term, Encanto is striving to build production partnerships and closer networking with other Nordic festivals.
Our festival is locally rooted while also being open to international cooperation, and offers a one-of-a-kind addition to the field of Finnish music festivals.
Georg Kallweit
Encanto Festival, taiteellinen johtaja
