Male Voice Choir MM
MM is a prominent Finnish male voice choir located in Helsinki. The choir was founded in 1878 and celebrates its 130 year anniversary 2008 with several concerts and events. The letters MM stand for "Merry Musicians" and the name is taken from the choir's own honorary song.
The founding members initially named their chorus "P.C." which was short for Petersburg Concert. The name referred to a planned concert trip to St Petersburg, which never materialized. The choir survived, and gave its first performance May 11th 1878 and later took the name Sällskapet MM (MM Society).
Sällskapet MM performed both at home and abroad, sang for the czar family at Petershof and in Finland, traveled to Moscow, Stockholm and Tallinn. In 1889 the chorus performed at the Word Fair in Paris, which at the time, boasted a brand new Eiffel Tower. Sällskapet MM has participated in intenational festivals and competitions. The most recent competition was XVII Concorso Intenazionale Di Canto Corale in Verona, where the choir was awarded a silver medal.
Annual domestic activities consist of tours in Finland and regular concerts in Helsinki. Above all the Christmas Concert at the Temple Church, which has become a tremendous public success.
MM - conductors
MM proudly finds among its conductors several famous musicians. The first conductor and founder of the chorus was Gösta "Kösse" Sohlström. Among later names, Oscar Mechelin, Robert Kajanus, Nils-Erik Fougstedt, Bengt Carlson and Erik Bergman could be pointed out.
MM's current conductor is Markus Westerlund (b. 1955) who has been directing the chorus since 1991. He studied conducting for Harald Andersén at the Sibelius Academy and for Dan-Olof Stenlund. Markus Westerlund conducted Akademiska Sångföreningen 1976-82. He studied and graduated in piano and organ play from the Helsinki Conservatory.
MM - developing chorus singing
MM's current director is concentrating on improving sound and voice control. He has developed new computer aided techniques for learning. Choristers receive their respective voices by e-mail, enabling each to study at home thus leaving more time at joint rehearsals for honing and refining the dynamics and overall performance of the songs. Diversifying the repertoire has been close to Markus Westerlund heart and he has during his career written about a hundred arrangements for male chorus.
If you wish to know more about MM, please contact chairman Carl-Johan Sandström, +358 40 524 2590, sandstrom(a)kolumbus.fi