Established in 2009, the early-music Ensemble Nylandia plays everything but promises nothing. Evolving over time into one of Finland’s most versatile and multifaceted collectives, Ensemble Nylandia has gained recognition for the sheer breadth of its innovative musical productions, unwavering in both quality and open-mindedness. Ensemble Nylandia brings many different eras together under one roof, offering audiences a gateway into the sound world of the Baroque era; the group plays early music on modern instruments and new music on period instruments, transports classic rock songs into chamber-music settings, and brings Renaissance works to underground clubs.

Ever since its inception under the direction of harpsichordist Matias Häkkinen, Ensemble Nylandia’s line-up has always been flexible and versatile. With a collective at times comprising over a hundred members, its reach extends across Finland and beyond national borders, allowing for myriad different configurations. When modern municipal orchestras and opera associations require expertise in early-music performance practice, Ensemble Nylandia regularly sends its highly esteemed basso continuo group to enrich the symphonic palette with a unique Baroque soundscape. Recent collaborations include projects with the orchestras of Kuopio, Mikkeli, Lappeenranta, Lohja, and Joensuu, as well as with Tampere Philharmonic, Kymi Sinfonietta, the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra. One unique feature of Ensemble Nylandia is its many consorts of instrument families, notably the viola da gamba, the lute, the recorder, and the traverso, and together these form a Renaissance orchestra of considerable forces. The ensemble also helps facilitate its members’ individual solo projects and supports talented young musicians on their journey into the profession through the concert series ‘The New Stars of Early Music’.

Ensemble Nylandia performs with the utmost respect and attention to detail, though not always with the seriousness commonly associated with early music. The collective’s activities are guided by a deep understanding of the historical context in which musical works originated and the realities of modern-day performance practice, always paying special attention to whether the music is majestic, melancholic, playful, serious, or satirical. For this reason, Ensemble Nylandia can, when necessary, push the boundaries of context, allowing contemporary audiences and musicians to experience the timeless essence of the music, irrespective of any particular concert setting. Regardless of musical style, Ensemble Nylandia’s passion for performance, artistry, and the beauty of organised sounds is indefatigable.

Ensemble Nylandia has become familiar to audiences via its numerous festival engagements and collaborations with leading artists both in Finland and abroad, including performances at the BRQ Vantaa Festival, Urkuyö & Aaria, Aurore – Helsinki Renaissance Music Festival, Ankkabarock, Joroinen Music Festival, the Tropical Winter Ukulele Festival, Les Festivals de Wallonie, Concerti l’Orecchio di Giano, Festival Musical de Namur, Festival Royal Juillet Musical de Saint-Hubert, and the Karol Lipinski Festival, and it has collaborated with many renowned musicians including recorder player Genevieve Lacey, violinist Kinga Ujszászi, soprano Tuuli Lindeberg, harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, and the ensembles La Ritirata and The Royal Wind Music. In recent years, Ensemble Nylandia has established itself as the resident orchestra at the BarokkiKuopio Festival, showcasing the full flexibility of its repertoire from the perspective of audience and performer alike.

Ensemble Nylandia’s concerts are consistently of the highest quality, while always remaining accessible to its audiences. When performing as the rock band Tavallinen peili, Ensemble Nylandia imbues timeless radio hits with Baroque sounds, while with its ‘Ba(c)h – Seriously Silly Stuff’ concerts, it demonstrates that even the most raucous and humorous adaptations need never undermine the inherent value of the music. The group’s Café Barock series brightens listeners’ coffee breaks with early-music gems in settings beyond the realm of traditional churches and concert halls. Above all, Ensemble Nylandia offers audiences an opportunity to experience the profound connection that exists between the mindset of our time and the living environment of past generations.