Classical Emma Award to Sebastian Fagerlund's Isola

The Emma Award of this year’s best classical music record has been given to Sebastian Fagerlund’s Isola. The prize is issued yearly by IFPI Finland for the year's best albums and artists.

The awarded record consists of Fagerlund’s orchestral works Isola, Partita and Clarinet Concerto, played by Christoffer Sundqvist and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra with conductor Dima Slobodeniouk. The record is released by BIS Records.

The jury praises Fagerlund’s works for the powerful orchestrations, tone colors and catching rhythms. Influences of impressionism, Stravinsky and Sibelius can be traced in Fagerlund's music, which however reveals a strong, personal voice, the jury points out. The performances of clarinettist Christoffer Sundqvist and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra are also highly acclaimed.

Isola was released in May 2011. After that, it has been also internationally widely recognized. For example, the BBC Music Magazine's September issue reviewed the record with five stars for both the recording and the performances.

Other Emma Awards were given to Regina's Soita mulle (best alternative album), Freija's SydänJuurilla (best folk music album), Iro Haarla's Vespers (best jazz album), Ammuu's Traktori (best children's music album), Chisu (producer of the year) and Jukka Poika (best live act of the year).

Rest of the Emma Awards including the best artist of the year and the best music video of the year will be given on 20 January 2012 at the Emma Gaala.

Eeva Hohti / Fimic
1 December, 2011