Sermilä, Jarmo (Kalevi)
Sermilä, Jarmo (Kalevi)
Sermilä, Jarmo (Kalevi), Finnish trumpeter and composer; b. Hämeenlinna, Aug. 16, 1939. He studied at the Hämeenlinna School of Music, and then received instruction in composition from Marttinen and Kokkonen at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (diploma, 1975) and from Kovaricek in Prague, and also pursued studies in musicology at the Univ. of Helsinki (M.A., 1975). In 1973 he co-founded the Finnish Radio’s experimental music studio in Helsinki, which he led as artistic director until 1979. From 1977 to 1982 he was composer-in-residence of the city of Hämeenlinna. In 1981 he became vice president of the Finnish Composers’ Soc. He also was artistic director of the new music festival Time of Music in Viitasaari from 1987 to 1999, and served as vice president of Teosto, the Finnish performing rights society from 1994 to 1999. As a trumpeter, he performed much contemporary music, including his own works. His compositions, which range from aleatory to jazz settings, employ various techniques.
Works
DRAMATIC : The Wolf Bride, electroacoustic ballet (1980; Helsinki, Feb. 26, 1981); Merlin’s Masquerade, children’s fantasy for Tape, 8 Instruments, 4 Rooms, Optional Dance, etc. (1987; Hämeenlinna, Aug. 8, 1988); The Doors, scenic song cycle for 4 Men Singers and 7 Doors (Helsinki, June 2, 1998). ORCH .: Early Music (1971; Kotka, Sept. 22, 1982); Pentagram for Trumpet and Orch. (1972; Turku, Jan. 18, 1973); Mimesis 2 (1974; Helsinki, Jan. 30, 1976); Cornologia for 24 to 44 Horns (1975); Counterbass for Double Bass and Strings (1975); Manifesto (1977; Turku, April 1, 1982); Time Mahcine (1978; Hämeenlinna, Dec. 8, 1979); A Circle of the Moon for Oboe and Orch. (1979; Montevideo, Oct. 15, 1980); labor! (Helsinki, April 15, 1982); Transformations for Strings (1984; Stockholm, Sept. 27, 1988); Quattro rilievi (1988–89; Nos. 1 and 2, Hämeenlinna, Aug. 24, 1989, and Nos. 3 and 4, Helsinki, Aug. 26, 1989); Baby Tiger’s Broken Thought (Helsinki, Nov. 21, 1992); Un’ asserzione di una signora for Horn and Strings (Lieksa, July 29, 1994); Train of Thoughts for Flugelhorn and Orch. (Hämeenlinna, Oct. 7, 1999). CHAMBER : Crisis for Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1972; Hämeenlinna, Nov. 28, 1976); Colors and Contrasts for Flute, Violin, and Piano (1976; Prague, March 8, 1979); Thus I Saw This for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn (1977; Helsinki, Oct. 24, 1989); Dissimilitudes for 2 Violins, 2 Violas, and 2 Cellos (1980–91; Rovaniemi, Sept. 7, 1995); The Mythic Man for Percussion Quartet (Tampere, Nov. 15, 1982); Clockwork Etudes for Bass Clarinet and Marimba or Vibraphone (1983; Hämeenlinna, Nov. 20, 1984); A Prague Thoroughfare for Electric Guitar, 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1983; Hämeenlinna, Aug. 24, 1989); …and an elk was formed by Hiisi for 2 Trombones, 2 Percussion, and Tape (1984; Helsinki,Oct. 1, 1985); Diary Fragments by Kilgore Trout 1 for Oboe, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1984; Leningrad, Nov. 1, 1986), 2 for 2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (1988; Viitasaari, July 9, 1992), and 3 for 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1996; St. Gallen, Sept. 11, 1997); Jean-Eduard en face du fait accompli for Saxophone Quartet (1986–89; Lüneburg, Nov. 29, 1987); Movimenti e ritornili for 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1986–95; Hämeenlinna, Dec. 3, 1995); Ego 1 for Violin, Cello or Double Bass, and Accordion (Oulu, June 10, 1988) and 2 for Flute, Cello, and Accordion (1989; Helsinki, Oct. 1991); Trocortro for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone (Hämeenlinna, July 12, 1990); Danza 1 for Harp and Marimba or Vibraphone (1991; Hämeenlinna, June 7, 1992) and 2 for Flute, Guitar, and Tape (1991; Tampere, Feb. 27, 1993); …tota noin …for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Percussion (1992); Mechanical Partnership for Bass Clarinet and Accordion (1994); Dramma per due for Double Bass and Percussion (Oulu, Oct. 15, 1995); Dragonfly Day for Recorder(s), Guitar, Violino, and Cello (1995; Ålborg, Jan. 20, 1996); Quasi come Quasimodo for Tuba and Percussion (1997); II mondo assurdo del Signor B. for Viola and Tape (1997; Florence, Dec. 19, 1998); La fille joue aux oiseaux de nuit for Recorder(s) and Tape (1998; Viitasaari, July 10, 1999); Weimari-ana for Oboe, Cello, and Piano (Weimar, May 13, 1999). VOCAL : Talvipäivän seisaus (Winter Solstice) for Soprano and Piano (Hämeenlinna, May 18, 1969); Love-Charm Songs for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (Helsinki, Oct. 29, 1976); The Hard Burden of Night for Bass and Piano (Hämeenlinna, July 29, 1982); Lakeus (The Plains) for Mezzo-soprano and Cello (1986; Helsinki, April 4, 1988); Hitaat auringot (The Slow Suns) for Soprano, Clarinet, and Piano (Lahti, Aug. 3, 1989); Rituaaleja (Rituals) for Men’s Chorus and Percussion (1991); Puhetta (Talk) for Chorus (1993; Hämeenlinna, Aug. 14, 1994). OTHER : On the Road: A Concerto of Our Time for Trumpet, Percussion, and Chorus (Helsinki, Dec. 10, 1993); electroacoustic, jazz, and improvisational pieces.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire