Participants Universitas Cantat 2024

Teekkarikuoro, Tampere University, FINLAND
Conductor: Johanna Lantto

Teekkarikuoro, Tampere University

 https://www.teekkarikuoro.fi/en/kuoro/

Founded in 1985, Teekkarikuoro is one of the most prominent student choirs in Tampere. Having been active for more than 35 years, the choir prides itself in making ambitious music with a relaxed attitude, all the while maintaining high quality. The core repertoire of the mixed choir of approximately 50 members consists of pop music and classical choir pieces, and also includes modern choir music and drinking songs. Each year the choir organises competitions for arranging new choir music and writing drinking songs, which add to the choir’s repertoire of original music. The choir also commissions new music from different composers. One of the choir’s objectives is to cherish academic singing tradition.

The choir is based at the Hervanta campus of Tampere University. Most of the members are students and alumni of technological disciplines but the choir welcomes all, regardless of their field of study. The choir members spend a lot of time together, organising different events and activities. There is also a smaller a cappella group, TeekkariKvartti, that performs independently. The choir and TeekkariKvartti perform in events of the academic community throughout the year.

The choir is passionate about music but never forgets to have fun while singing. Teekkarikuoro aspires to have a lively tone and a versatile repertoire, which was acknowledged at Tampereen Sävel Chorus Reviews in 2017 and 2019, as the choir was awarded one golden stamp in each of them.

Teekkarikuoro has published three albums. Most recent one of them, Tumman taivaan taika (2022) with themes of  the magical atmosphere of the dark arctic winter, the light of the sparkling snow and candles, shining hope to the people huddling together. Published in 2016, Alussa oli insinööri takes a humane approach to technology, students of technology and Tampere.

Johanna Lantto is a choir conductor, musician and M.Sc. of environmental engineering from Tampere who started her journey with Teekkarikuoro as a choir member in the year 2000. She has conducted Teekkarikuoro from 2006 and is thus the choir’s longest-standing and most influential conductor. Lantto holds a bachelor’s degree as music pedagogue, majoring in choir conducting, from Pirkanmaa University of Applied Sciences and she graduated as a Master of music pedagogy from Tampere University of Applied Sciences. Lantto has conducted various choirs in the Pirkanmaa area including the children’s choirs of the Tampere Conservatoire and the mixed choir Pikantit. She plays the accordion and the piano, and sings in various classical and popular music ensembles. Lantto has received the Tampere University of Technology’s Student Union’s medal of honour for her cultural work at the university.

Tampere University, FINLAND