About

The members of the EVCH are all experienced professional singers who regularly perform with some of the foremost choirs in Finland, including the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble and the EMO Ensemble.

Members

Mirjam Schulman
Iida Antola
David Hackston
Edward Ananian-Cooper
Martti Anttila
Valter Maasalo

Mirjam Schulman, soprano

Soprano Mirjam Schulman is without a doubt one of the most multitalented young singers of her generation. She has a reputation as a skilled interpreter of both classical and pop music. In 2008 Schulman graduated from the Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory, where she was the recipient of the Nokia Young Talent grant for musical excellence. Her own group MirJam (featuring Marzi Nyman - guitar/piano, Manuel Dunkel - sax, Eerik Siikasaari - bass, Rami Eskelinen - drums) held their debut concert, showcasing the music of Jukka Linkola, at the April Jazz Festival in Espoo in spring 2008. Schulman's exceptionally high soprano voice is in great demand among a cappella ensembles throughout Finland including the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the English Vocal Consort of Helsinki, the EMO Ensemble and the Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble. In addition to her vast experience as a choral singer Schulman is noted for the sensitivity of her approach, and she is open to music of all genres. Her CV includes the role of the Cat in the children's opera Pappa Bach at the Finnish National Opera (2008-2010) and her critically acclaimed performance as the Florist in Christmas at the Mall (Yleisradio 2008). She has also appeared as soprano soloist in a number of major works including Claudio Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine, Luciano Berio's Sinfonia and Karlheinz Stockhausen's Stimmung.

Iida Antola, soprano

Iida Antola began her musical studies at the Sibelius Academy church-music department in 2008, where she specialises in classical voice. Since 2009 she has regularly performed with the Helsinki Chamber Choir and the Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble. In addition to singing, Antola has also studied the piano under Hanna Aho-Oikkonen and has continued her study of choir conducting at the Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Lyon.

David Hackston, countertenor

David Hackston began his musical studies in Bradford-on-Avon, England. He has played the viola in numerous orchestras and chamber-music ensembles both in Finland and the UK, and he currently studies early music and baroque singing at Helsinki Metropolia University with soprano Tuuli Lindeberg. Hackston sings regularly with the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble and the Incanto Ensemble, and has appeared as countertenor soloist both in recital and with groups including Refugium Musicum Chamber Orchestra and Helsinki Baroque Orchestra. He has also taken part in composition workshops with Magnus Lindberg and Jouni Kaipainen, and his works have been presented at both the Musica Nova and Brinkhall Soi festivals - notably, in 1996, by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins. David Hackston translates Finnish and Swedish literature into English. In 2007 he was awarded the Finnish State Award for Foreign Translators.

Edward Ananian-Cooper, tenor

Edward Ananian-Cooper is an Australian conductor studying choir conducting at the Sibelius Academy with Matti Hyökki, and has recently undertaken masterclasses with Johannes Prinz (Austria) and Volker Hempfling (Germany). He has diplomas from the Trinity College of Music in London, as well as a Bachelor of Engineering in computer systems and electronics from the University of Adelaide. In Finland, he is the musical director of Hiljaa Ensemble, the assistant conductor of Murtosointu, and Director of Music for the Anglican Church in Finland. Edward sings with the Helsinki Chamber Choir and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir in Vienna.

Martti Anttila, tenor

Martti Anttila graduated from the Sibelius Academy's church-music department in the spring of 2011. He has also completed his B Exam in classical voice under the guidance of Timo Honkanen and has studied choral conducting with Timo Nuoranne and Seppo Murto. Anttila has performed solo roles in numerous sacred choral works and, recently, as tenor soloist in works including Claude Vivier's Journal and Ottorino Respighi's Lauda per la Natività del Signor. As an ensemble singer he regularly performs with the Helsinki Chamber Choir, with whom he has given première performances of works by Rautavaara, Lindberg, Saariaho and Bergman. In 2008 he took to the stage in the children's opera Pappa Bach at the Finnish National Opera. Anttila has also served as artistic director of the Järvenpää Chamber Choir (2004-2008) and has composed music for numerous short films.

Valter Maasalo, baritone

Valter Maasalo has an extraordinarily broad musical personality. He is one of the leading interpreters of Gregorian music in Finland, and since 2006 he has conducted the Schola of the Olaus Petri church in Helsinki. Over the years he has penned countless hymn arrangements, editions and small compositions. He has also performed extensively with such group as the Utopia Chamber Choir, Helsinki Chamber Choir and The Harp Consort.