The production and recording of this music was done during the corona pandemic 2020 – a time when pianos stood unused in rooms, halls, and churches. The inspiration for the music came during a time of insecurity and worry brought on by the pandemic during the spring of 2020. Society was shut down and the culture scene changed for both artists and audiences. Suddenly, artists were without work, myself included. This gave me time to think creatively about my artistry and reflect over different stages in the past, present, and future. These reflections manifested in the form of 13 new piano compositions written during the spring when the pandemic was in its initial stage. I wanted to share my musical thoughts through new compositions for pianos that I knew where not being used during the pandemic – pianos I could find within the area I was in and that I had a personal relationship with. The areas stretch from South-Ostrobothnia, where I stared my music studies in the 80s, to the Northwhere I visited my mentor and friend Alf Mylläri in his home. 

The pianos were played in their current state during the recording in order to achieve an as authentic sound image as possible and reflect the time that prevailed. Our recording technician Stefan Backas even recorded the room acoustics where the instruments were to enhance the feeling of the different places that we visited.

During the spring of 2020, Ialso had time to reflect over other composers’ and musicians’ music, which led to the decision to present different styles of music by lifting up and praising some of these composers. Throughout time, the piano has, as an instrument, played an important role both as a tool for composers as well as a target for solo compositions. The material on this record mixes music where different emotions are given space and where some pieces can be seen as tributes to my musical role models.

In the piece “Reopening”, I collect all the instruments into a sonorous summery of the record as a hope-inspiring finish to my musical thoughts and a final confirmation (“Reconfirmation”) on how to meet the new post-pandemic reality. The show will go on so KEEP ON SWINGING!