Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces

The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces was founded in Hamina City in 1990 where it was a company-level unit in the Kymi Anti-Aircraft Regiment. In 1996, the Band was transferred to the Häme Regiment in Lahti as a company-level unit in the Military Music School. Conscript musicians are accepted on the basis of auditions arranged by the Military Music School. About 250 men and women apply every year, out of which are chosen 80 gifted young instrumentalists, singers and sound technicians that complete their military service in the Band.

The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces is a special force intended for music amateurs and professionals. The core of the Conscript Band consists of a symphonic wind orchestra, the main function of which are concerts and figure marching. The Conscript Band can also metamorphose itself into an entertainment band, string orchestra and showband. The band is a regular guest on the MILjazz tour and at the Provinssirock Festival in Finland and has previously performed in Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Russia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia, Singapore, Switzerland, Poland and Italy.

Staff

Music captain Jarkko Aaltonen

Jarkko Aaltonen began his musical studies as a six-year-old by learning to play the church organ in the Music School of Southwest Finland. He completed his instrumental studies in the Häme Regiment Military Music School 1991-1995. He has completed musical diplomas in the clarinet in the Päijät-Häme Conservatory and in the Turku Arts Academy. He was the Navy Band Concert Master 2000-2001. He began his conductor studies, wind orchestral option, at Sibelius Academy in 2005. His teachers include Peter Larsen, Pertti Pekkanen, Kari Tikka, Atso Almila, Kalervo Kulmala and Pekka Savijoki. Aaltonen graduated as a Master of Music in 2010. In addition to his studies at Sibelius Academy, Aaltonen has completed the military conductor diploma at the Military Music School in Lahti.

Aaltonen has attended several international conductor courses and has received guidance from the conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre, Leonid Korchmar. He has been the director of the Academic Wind Ensemble from 2007 and the conductor of the Helsinki Saxophone Orchestra since 2009. In 2011, he became the commanding officer of the Savo Military Band. The band's repertoire include music for bigband, string orchestras and symphonic wind orchestras. He became the commanding officer of the Conscript Band of the Defence Forces in February 2013.

Music first lieutenant Tero Haikala

Tero Haikala is from Kotka, eastern Finland, where he began his musical studies as a five-year-old by playing the violin. He quickly changed instrument and started playing the clarinet instead. Haikala graduated with a major in music education from the Tampere Conservatory in 2002, after which he became a member of the Armoured Band in Hämeenlinna. He began his conductor studies, wind orchestral option, at Sibelius Academy in 2005. He graduated as a Master of Music in spring 2011. He began working as the conductor of the Defence Forces' Conscript Band on 1 July 2011. Haikala is a sort of jack-of-all-trades when it comes wind music. His curriculum vitae includes the following: lecturer at Tampere University of Applied Sciences and the Helsinki Conservatory; arrangements for wind orchestras; camp leader of the Finnish Workers' Music Association's (STM) national wind orchestra camp (2001–2008); the training and conducting of several amateur and professional wind orchestras. In spring 2011, Haikala was elected chairman of the Association for Instrumental Music (Soli).

Captain Henry Perälä

Henry Perälä has been the deputy conductor and an instructor in the Conscript Band of the Defence Forces since 2003. Prior to 2003, he was a flautist in the Guards Band. Henry Perälä has renewed and developed Finnish figure marching, and Finnish military music has become more internationally networked thanks in part to his efforts. In 2012, he prepared a figure march with elements of the Finnish marching tradition and electric amplified rock music for the second biggest tattoo event, held in Basel. The performance received international acclaim. While still working in the Guards Band, Henry Perälä developed the bass drum technique used in Finnish figure marches nowadays.

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