The authors
Vesa Sirén is the chief author of the Jean Sibelius website.
He is a music journalist for the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and the author of the book Aina poltti sikaria – Jean Sibelius aikalaisten silmin [“Always smoking a cigar – Jean Sibelius through the eyes of his contemporaries”] (Otava 2000); this book was nominated for the Tieto-Finlandia prize, which is awarded for the best Finnish non-fiction book. Sirén has written many articles on Jean Sibelius for Helsingin Sanomat, The Finnish Music Quarterly and other publications.
For the website Sirén has written the Biography section, some of the articles in the Special Subjects section and the essay on Jean Sibelius as a composer; also the presentations of many of the works, including the symphonies and other orchestral works, the incidental music, the choral works and the chamber music (trios to quintets). In addition, he has been responsible for commissioning the texts from the other writers.
Markku Hartikainen is a Sibelius scholar whose main work since 1992 has consisted of compiling a chronological list of the correspondence of the Sibelius family. This work is sponsored by several foundations. He has been greatly in demand as an expert in the drafting of magazine articles, books, academic dissertations and other scholarly publications on Sibelius. Hartikainen has written over forty manuscripts for theatre, radio, TV, cinema and opera, and has given around thirty lectures and presentations shedding light on Sibelius’s life.
Together with Vesa Sirén, Hartikainen has written the sections “The Man” and “Ainola” for the website. He is the principal writer for most of the special subjects, including the sections on residences, journeys, finances and the Sibelius family.
Kari Kilpeläinen is a Sibelius scholar whose main works include the gigantic The Jean Sibelius Musical Manuscripts at Helsinki University Library (1991), Tutkielmia Jean Sibeliuksen käsikirjoituksista (1992); also the editorial work for the second symphony (2000) and the first piano volume (2002) in The Works of Jean Sibelius (critical edition).
For the website Kilpeläinen has compiled a complete list of published and unpublished compositions that can be identified as works by Jean Sibelius. The works are listed in three ways: in order by opus number, by type of work and in chronological order.
Veijo Murtomäki is a Sibelius scholar and Professor of Music History at the Sibelius Academy. His doctoral thesis Sinfoninen ykseys. Muotoajattelun kehitys Sibeliuksen sinfonioissa was published in 1990. Murtomäki has written several articles and edited international anthologies containing material on Sibelius and Classical and Romantic music.
For the website Murtomäki has written the presentations of the works for piano and organ and the works for violin and cello (solo and duo works); he has also written the pages on the incidental music for The Tempest and the orchestral suites.
Jukka Tiilikainen is a Sibelius scholar who is preparing his doctoral thesis on Jean Sibelius’s song production. He has edited all the solo songs for The Works of Jean Sibelius (critical edition). He has also studied solo song, 1986-1995.
For the website Tiilikainen has written the pages on Sibelius’s solo songs.
Reijo Ahtokari, PhD, has written the presentation of Jean Sibelius as a Freemason.
Severi Blomstedt is an architect and Director of the Museum of Finnish Architecture. He has produced the construction drawings for the Ainola section.
English version
Translation: Käännöstoimisto Martina
English language editor and consultant: Donald Adamson, MA, MLitt
Consultative Committee for the Sibelius project
Pekka Ritvos, Kauppalehti Optio, Chairman
Martti Enäjärvi, National Board of Patents and Registration, Vice Chairman
Olli Alho, The Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE)
Urho Ilmonen, Nokia Corporation
Leo Eskola, Edita
Markku Linna, Ministry of Education
Matti Packalén, John Nurminen Company
Kari Raivio, University of Helsinki
Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor
Eva-Riitta Siitonen, City of Helsinki
Tuomo Tuomi, The Finnish Club of Helsinki
Pertti Virkkunen, for Jean Sibelius’s Rights Holders
The Information Service Committee of the Finnish Club of Helsinki
Leif Nordin, Chairman
Leif Eklöf, Producer
Jari Karpakka
Nikolai Ylirotu
Teppo Oranne
Tuomo Tuomi
Pertti Virkkunen
Jouko Liusvaara, Secretary
Nikolai Ylirotu, Media production
Teppo Oranne, Technical issues
Leif Eklöf, Producer
Jeremias Ylirotu, Media production
Kalle Berg, Graphic design
Inka Jurvanen, Graphic design
Karstein Volle, Multimedia