MINNA WEURLANDER

The charismatic accordion virtuoso MINNA WEURLANDER was born and raised in Finland and music brought her to Sweden where she is active as a concert accordionist and composer. She is today considered as one of the Europe’s leading and most multifaceted concert accordionists. She works with symphony orchestras, string quartets, contemporary and experimental dance, theater and performance along with film productions. She has also extensive proficiency of leading ensembles and music productions. 2021 Minna will appear as a bandmaster and accordionist in PHILIP GLASS´S new opera CIRCUS DAYS AND NIGHTS at Malmö Opera House. Premiere 29/5 2021.

Minna started playing when she was only four years old and att the age of 14 she entered the youth education at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. She   finished  her solo- education  at Sibelius Academy University of Arts 1997 as one of the youngest accordion mastergraduates.

The public interest for Minna Weurlanders talents rose early. During her education she toured frequently, winning competitions in Finland and abroad, for instance Premio Internationale ASTOR PIAZZOLLA and CIA international accordion world championship.

collaborations:

• MALMÖ SYMPFONY ORCHESTRA
• MALMÖ OPERA
• NORRKÖPING SYMPFONY ORCHESTRA
• HELSINGBORGS SYMPFONY ORCHESTRA
• STOCKHOLM SYMPFONIC WIND ORCHESTRA
• GISLAVEDS SYMPFONY ORCHESTRA
• NORDIC OPERA
• CIRKUS CIRKÖR
• LEE Film
• Swedish Radio
• Swedish Television
• DUO NARANJO-WEURLANDER
• Vertavo String Quartet/NOR
• CIURLIONIS STRING QUARTET /Vilnius Filharmonija/LTU
• Pomona String Quartet/SWE
• Amanda Sring Quartet/SWE
• Stillleben Dance Company/Denmark
• Lynch Company /CPH Pix/Denmark
• Malmö City Theatre
• Teater Sagohuset
• Saul Cosentino /Argentina
• Mats Hålling
• Tobias Broström/Malleus Incus

She masters many different kind of music genres and styles; from classics like Bach and Scarlatti to contemporary accordion music, like for example Sofia Gubaidulina´s. From opera to  world music, Tango Nuevo  and Russian contemporary accordion music. Her own  music is  strongly influenced by the Russian and Finnish accordion tradition and of course by the Argentinian contemporary tango. Minna frequently experiments with the accordion’s various sonorities, its percussive qualities and massive sound. She is also very keen on 19th and 20th centuries organ music. César Frank´s, Louis Vierne´s and Oliver Messiaen´s music appears often in her soloprogramme.

Minna has been working multiple times at Malmö Opera as an accordionist and bandmaster/arranger. During 2012-2013 she was  accordionist in residence at the Opera House.

She has written music to many theatre, dance and film producions in Sweden and in Denmark; “Dreyer, The Tyrannical Dane” (Lynch Company DK), “Frida K” (Theatre Sagohuset in Lund), ” The Ape Star” (Leefilm)…

During the last ten years she has been touring  in  Europe and in Scandinavia with her solo concerts and with Duo Naranjo-Weurlander. She has appeared multiple times on the Swedish National Radio and TV.  

Minna released her praised album “GLOW Weurlander & Pomona String Quartet ” in May 2020. She has previously released two solo albums “Usva” and “Señora del Destino”. “ENTWINED” and “INFINITY” with Duo Naranjo-Weurlander, and album “TRIO FATALE” with her former trio. Duo Naranjo-Weurlander has become one of the Scandinavian most successfull crossover ensambles. In this duo she performs and composes  together with Chilean pianist Tania Naranjo. www.duonaranjoweurlander.com

Supported by the Swedish Arts Council, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, the Swedish Performing Arts  Agency, Statens Musikverk, Region Skåne Kultur and Sten K Johnssons Stiftelse. Awards: World championship CIA international accordion competition-Prize winner at Premio Internationale ASTOR  PIAZZOLLA/Castelfidardo – Royal Swedish Academy of Music/Hagström award- STIM award- Region Skåne Culture award– Malmö Culture award- IRIS award 2016. ” To progressive women who demonstrates an extraordinary ability and motivation”

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