The church organ plays in different tones in Kuusankoski and Kotka this week.
In Kymenlaakso, atypical chords have been heard from the organs of several churches this week, when both the Kuusankoski church music weeks in Kouvola and the Kotka Organ Weeks are taking place.
– We have thought about what musical styles could be realized with the organ. The idea is to attract new people to concerts in the church, says Eskola.
According to Risto Eskola, the cantor of the Kuusankoski parish, very different tones come out of the organ, from small and quiet to large and imposing.
– Game music is actually quite easy to arrange for the organ, as it often has a classical music background. It’s easier to play game music on an organ than pop, says Eskola.
Yesterday, Wednesday, at the game music concert in Kuusankoski church, you could hear, among other things, the theme music of the game character Super Mario. However, the easily recognizable rhythmic theme had to be realized with the church’s electric organ and percussion instruments, because the main organ has a delay of about a second.
– About a hundred listeners is a lot for an organ concert. There were also a lot of young people, says cantor Risto Eskola.
According to Eskola, playing instrumental music in church is not a problem, although there are several opinions about the genres suitable for the organ.
– All kinds of classical music are performed in the church. I don’t see how Pelimusikki would be contradictory to perform. We don’t have any violent footage, just Super Mario and Mine Craft. It is good that there is something for everyone in the church as well, because you can only hear the organ in the church.
The cantor leans his elbow on the keys
As part of the organ weeks in Kotka–Kym parish, an organ fairy tale was organized for children in Langinkoski church.
Kotka organ week is an annual organ festival that has been organized since 1998. Organ Week is organized by the Kotka–Kym parish in cooperation with the Sibelius Academy of the Arts.