Akademiska Damkören Lyran

"Lyran" redirects here. For other uses, see Lyran (disambiguation).

The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran Akademiska Damkören Lyran
Choir
Emblem
Origin	Helsinki,  Finland
Founded	1946; 79 years ago (1946)
Founder	Eja Tollet née Sevelius
Genre	Choral (female voice)
Members	Ca 50 active
Chief conductor	Riku Laurikka
Choir admission	Annual auditions
Headquarters	Helsinki,  Finland
Affiliation	University of Helsinki
Associated groups	The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki The YL Male Voice Choir The Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra
Website	lyran-rf.com

Akademiska Damkören Lyran 2019.

The Old Student House in Helsinki, where the choir rehearsed throughout most of the 20th century and as of 2016^[update] rehearses every other semester

The Balder House in Helsinki, where the choir as of 2016^[update] rehearses every other semester

The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (Swedish: Akademiska Damkören Lyran, lit. 'The Academic Women's Choir the Lyre', pronounced [ɑkɑˈdeːmiskɑ ˈdɑːmˌkœːren ˈlyːrɑn]), also referred to as simply Lyran, is a Finland-Swedish academic female voice choir in Helsinki, Finland.[1][2] It is the only women's choir affiliated with the University of Helsinki.

History

The choir was established in 1946[3] by a group of female students in Helsinki, led by Eja Tollet née Sevelius, who became the first artistic director of the choir.[2] The choir was known as Gillekören Lyran[a] until 1948.[4][5]

Present artistic director Riku Laurikka, MMus, began his tenure in the Spring term of 2023.[2]

Ever since 1954, the choir has collaborated extensively with the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki (Swedish: Akademiska Sångföreningen),[6] the sole other Swedish-language University of Helsinki choir. The two choirs give several annually recurring concerts together.[7]

Lyran has since 1968 kept a close relation to the Norwegian male choir Trondhjems Studentersangforening.[8][9][10]

Chief conductors[2][11]

From	To	Name	Notes
1946	1951	Eja Tollet née Sevelius	Founder
1951	1959	Henrik Christiernin
1959	1972	Nils Holmqvist
1972	1980	Lena von Bonsdorff	Appointed honorary conductor in 1987
1980	1981	Eric-Olof Söderström
1981	1987	Lena von Bonsdorff	Appointed honorary conductor in 1987
1987	1998	Johanna Almark-Mannila née Almark
1998	2009	Kari Turunen
2009	2022	Jutta Seppinen
2023		Riku Laurikka	Current

Discography

Albums[12][13]

Year	Title	Format	Notes
1971	Lyran 25 år	LP
1978	Som ett eko	LP
1985	Mikko Heiniö – Edith Södergran: Framtidens skugga – Landet som icke är	LP
1986	Maid in Finland	LP
1993	Bulgarisk skärgårdsvals	MC, CD
1999	Julstämning	CD	Christmas album in collaboration with the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki
2001	Lust	CD
2004	I himmelen	CD
2006	Pärlor	CD
2007	Triumf	CD
2011	Julen vi minns	CD	Christmas album in collaboration with the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki
2016	Låt mig vara den jag är	CD
2019	Hennes röst	CD

Notes

1. Lit. 'The Guild Choir the Lyre'

Citations

1. Ekberg & Svenska folkskolans vänner 2011.
2. Ekberg & Svenska folkskolans vänner 2016.
3. Dahlström 2009.
4. Nymark-Björkstam, Colliander & Harms-Aalto 1996, pp. 22–27.
5. Runn 2004a, p. 6.
6. Ekström & Duncker 1963, pp. 105–106.
7. Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki n.d.
8. Forsell, Sandra (2018). Lyran + TSS 50 år: 1968-2018: Trondhjems Studentersangforening (in Norwegian). TSS forlag. ISBN 978-82-91307-06-0.
9. Trondhjems studentersangforening : Årsbetretninger 1910–2010 (in Norwegian). Trondheim: Trondhjems studentersangforenings forlag. 2019. ISBN 978-82-91307-07-7.
10. Myhre, Bård; Engstrøm, Vegard; Antonsen, Tor Martin (2001). Drømmer om fortiden : historiske fragmenter av et lyrisk potpurri (in Norwegian). Trondheim. ISBN 82-91307-03-2.
11. Väresmaa 2006, p. 103.
12. Nymark-Björkstam, Colliander & Harms-Aalto 1996, p. 142.
13. Väresmaa 2006, p. 66.

References

• Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (n.d.a). "About the choir". Lyran (Web page). Helsinki. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (n.d.b). "Historia" [History]. Lyran (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
• Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (n.d.c). "Kören" [The choir]. Lyran (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
• Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran (n.d.d). "Skivor" [Albums]. Lyran (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
• Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki (n.d.). "English". Akademen (Web page). Helsinki. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
• Bränn, Michaela, ed. (2013). Manskörssång i tid och rum. Akademiska Sångföreningen 1838–2013. 175-årsjubileumsskrift [Male voice choir singing in time and space. The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki 1838–2013. 175th anniversary publication] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Sångföreningen. ISBN 978-952-93-1792-9.
• Dahlström, Fabian (1988). Paulig, Torsten; Thulé, Gustav (eds.). Akademiska Sångföreningen 1838–1988. 150-årsjubileumsskrift med historik [The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki 1838–1988. 150th anniversary publication with history] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Sångföreningen. ISBN 951-99926-3-4.
• Dahlström, Fabian (2009) [1st printed ed. 1982–1985; 2nd printed ed. 2003–2007]. "studentsång" [student singing]. In Ekberg, Henrik; Svenska folkskolans vänner] (eds.). Uppslagsverket Finland (Printed and online encyclopedia) (in Swedish) (Online ed.). Helsinki: Svenska folkskolans vänner (Previous editions Schildts). Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Eerola, Jari (n.d.). "History". Vanha Ylioppilastalo (Web page). Abridged. Helsinki: Royal Ravintolat. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
• Ekberg, Henrik; Svenska folkskolans vänner, eds. (2011) [1st printed ed. 1982–1985; 2nd printed ed. 2003–2007]. "Lyran". Uppslagsverket Finland (Printed and online encyclopedia) (in Swedish) (Online ed.). Helsinki: Svenska folkskolans vänner (Previous editions Schildts). Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Ekberg, Henrik; Svenska folkskolans vänner, eds. (2016) [1st printed ed. 1982–1985; 2nd printed ed. 2003–2007]. "Akademiska damkören Lyran" [The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran]. Uppslagsverket Finland (Printed and online encyclopedia) (in Swedish) (Online ed.). Helsinki: Svenska folkskolans vänner (Previous editions Schildts). Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Ekström, Ralf; Duncker, Kaj, eds. (1963). Akademiska Sångföreningen 1938–1963 [The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki 1938–1963] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Sångföreningen.
• Federley, Stefan; Holmlund, Dennis, eds. (2008). Akademiska Sångföreningen 170 år. Sångarminnen 1988–2008 [The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki 170 years. Singer memories 1988–2008] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Sångföreningen. ISBN 978-952-92-3539-1.
• Finlands Svenska Damkörsförbund (n.d.). "Medlemskörer" [Member choirs]. Finlands Svenska Damkörsförbund (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Forsell, Sandra (25 February 2014). "Ett besök hos Lyrans grundare" [A visit to Lyran's founder]. HBL. Lyran. Körliv i huvudstaden (Blog post) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Frondén, Carina (6 February 2014). "Samarbete – då och nu" [Collaboration – then and now]. HBL. Lyran. Körliv i huvudstaden (Blog post) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Helsingfors sång- och musikförbund (n.d.). "Medlemmar" [Members]. Helsingfors sång- och musikförbund (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
• Kvist Dahlstedt, Barbro (2001). Suomis sång. Kollektiva identiteter i den finländska studentsången 1819–1917 [The song of Suomi. Collective identities in the Finnish student singing 1819–1917]. Studentsången i Norden (in Swedish). Vol. IV. University of Gothenburg. ISBN 91-85974-62-5.
• Nymark-Björkstam, Julia; Colliander, Nina; Harms-Aalto, Martina, eds. (1996). Upp att söka framtiden. Akademiska Damkören Lyran 50 [Up to seek the future. The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran 50] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Damkören Lyran. ISBN 952-90-7310-0.
• Pulkkis, Anna (2016). "Are we really still talking about this?". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 2016, no. Autumn. Translated by Mäntyjärvi, Jaakko. Helsinki. pp. 44–47.
• Runn, Iris, ed. (2004a). Florakören vid Åbo Akademi r.f. 1944–2004. Historik [Florakören vid Åbo Akademi 1944–2004. History] (in Swedish). Vol. I. Turku: Eternellföreningen. ISBN 952-91-7233-8.
• Runn, Iris, ed. (2004b). Florakören vid Åbo Akademi r.f. 1944–2004. Historik [Florakören vid Åbo Akademi 1944–2004. History] (in Swedish). Vol. II. Turku: Eternellföreningen. ISBN 952-91-7283-4.
• Student Union of the University of Helsinki (n.d.a). "Culture organisations". HYY (Web page). Helsinki. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Student Union of the University of Helsinki (n.d.b). "HYY's history". HYY (Web page). Helsinki. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Student Union of the University of Helsinki (n.d.c). "Student Houses". HYY (Web page). Helsinki. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• Svenska Nationer och Ämnesföreningar (n.d.). "Medlemmar" [Members]. SNÄf (Web page) (in Swedish). Helsinki. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
• Thesleff, Thomas (1978). Akademen 1838–1978. Akademiska Sångföreningen. 140 år levande musik [Akademen 1838–1978. The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki. 140 years of live music] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Sångföreningen.
• Väresmaa, Livia, ed. (2006). Nya vägar. Akademiska Damkören Lyran 60 år [New roads. The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran 60 years] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Akademiska Damkören Lyran. ISBN 952-92-0040-4.

Further reading

• Aho, Kalevi; Jalkanen, Pekka; Salmenhaari, Erkki; Virtamo, Keijo (1996). Finnish Music. Translated by Binham, Timothy; Binham, Philip. Helsinki: Otava. ISBN 951-1-14477-4.
• Anderson, Martin (2008). "Choral music as an amateur activity". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 2008, no. 2. Helsinki.
• Grandell, Åke (2002). "'Har du visor, min vän?' The Finnish-Swedish songs". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 2002, no. 2. Translated by Gräsbeck, Magnus. Helsinki.
• Kilpiö, Markku (1987). "The story of the Finnish choir. Social institution and human instrument". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 1987, no. 2. Helsinki.
• Korhonen, Kimmo (2007). Toivonen, Aarne (ed.). Inventing Finnish Music. Contemporary Composers from Medieval to Modern (PDF). Translated by Mäntyjärvi, Jaakko (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Finnish Music Information Centre. ISBN 978-952-5076-61-5.
• Länsiö, Tapani (1997). "Choral Singing! For pleasure or for hire?". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 1997, no. 1. Helsinki.
• Nordman, Anna-Maria, ed. (2004). Ekot av vår glada trall. Finlands svenska sång- och musikförbund 75 år [The echo of our happy tune. The Finland-Swedish confederation of singing and music 75 years] (in Swedish). Vaasa: Finlands svenska sång- och musikförbund. ISBN 951-97926-5-1.
• Stadius, Anneli; Bergman, Anne; Enholm, Henrik; Holmlund, Britta; Stenman, Hedvig, eds. (1997). Den sång är oss kär. Helsingfors sång- och musikförbund 80 år 1917–1997 [The song is dear to us. The Helsinki singing and music confederation 80 years 1917–1997] (in Swedish). Helsinki: Helsingfors sång- och musikförbund. ISBN 952-90-9175-3.
• Turunen, Kari (1992). "From pathos to professionalism. 20th century Finnish choral music". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 1992, no. 4. Helsinki.
• Turunen, Kari (1995). "Helsinki, driving force in Finnish choral life". Finnish Music Quarterly. Vol. 1995, no. 1. Helsinki.
• Turunen, Kari (2008). A brief outline of Finnish Choral Music. Helsinki: Finnish Music Information Centre. ISBN 978-952-5076-67-7.

External links

• Official website
• University of Helsinki
• Student Union of the University of Helsinki