Perttu Haapanen: Lost Boys

March 2, 2022 / ISCM – FINNISH SECTION
(Photo of Perttu Haapanen by Martti Jämsä)

Perttu Haapanen (b. 1972) is a freelance composer who is especially interested in voice and languages and their relation to music. He likes abandoned office environments and has been fascinated many years by the doll universes of Annette Messager and Hans Bellmer. Haapanen also works as artistic director of Uusinta Ensemble. His music has been performed in festivals and concert series like Music of Today, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Wigmore Hall, MaerzMusik, Wien Modern, Warsaw Autumn, Ultraschall, ISCM World New Music Days, Nordic Music Days, Musica Nova Helsinki and the Time of Music festival.

The title Lost Boys refers to J. M. Barrie’s novel Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. The piece is a surrealistic fantasy for violin and squeaky toys played with a paper guillotine, connected to other old time office equipments, baby gurgling and a sentence from François Villon’s poem read by Klaus Kinski.

Lost Boys (2016) for violin, electronics and video
commissioned and performed by violinist Maria Puusaari
Perttu Haapanen, composition, electronics & video
www.mariapuusaari.net
www.perttuhaapanen.fi