Anna-Sofia Anttonen

My music combines the delicate tonal world of saxophones, the sweet sound of ceramic flutes, and electronically processed sound. I am fascinated by contrasts, the fragile humming between voices, playfulness and sadness. The electronic layering of voice opens up the sound of the monophonic wind-instrument player into harmonies, conversations, sound fields, choirs, growths, rhythms and flocks.

Currently, I am particularly interested in exploring the softer side of saxophonic expression scale. The quiet multiphones playing in the saxophone, i.e. the polyphonic ones buzz quietly while also coming close in an intimate manner. I study difference tones that are born when two pitches with similar temperaments play together, for example. Perhaps I will combine melodic components inspired from medieval music to the buzzing world of the saxophone.

In the Residence, I will explore how saxophones combine with the sound of ocarinas created together with artist Armi Teva. The clay ocarinas come in many imaginative shapes and depict colourfully glazed creatures, animals, flowers, horns and heads. Each ocarina has their own nature, random microtonal scale and story to tell. They are like compositions in themselves and combining them in different contexts will take them on new adventures.

Anna-Sofia Anttonen is a saxophonist and composer living in Helsinki. She explores the expanded possibilities of her instrument and of performing music and has performed the works of numerous composers. She enjoys adapting works for saxophones from different eras, from thousands of years ago to the present day, and has performed, for example, reworkings of the compositions of Hildegard of Bingen. In addition to her electroacoustic solo project, she is currently composing an experimental opera for a saxophone quartet, electronics and a hydroelectric power plant as part of a multidisciplinary working group. Anttonen is a member of Uusinta Ensemble, the Saxtronauts quartet and Kaaos Ensemble. She has performed in festivals such as hcmf//, Musica Nova Helsinki, Time of Music, rainy days, Flow and the Helsinki Festival.