Ruamjai
Ruamjai
Ruamjai is a youth choir of about 20 experienced and talented singers that functions under the Departments of Music and Education at the University of Jyväskylä. At present the age of the singers varies between 16 and 26. Ruamjai was founded in the year 2000 as many of the oldest singers of Vox Aurea (the children’s choir of the music classes in Jyväskylä) wanted to continue with their hobby. So far Ruamjai has concentrated on different singing traditions and music cultures from around the world: from the middle ages to present, from Asia to South America and from art music to light music. The choir has co-operated with musicians from South Africa and Thailand, as well as with many local artists and groups. The first CD of the choir, Häät, was released in 2003. It combined a variety of old Finnish Ingrian and South African wedding song traditions to West African drum music. In 2004 Ruamjai won the category of small mixed choirs in the International Young Prague choral competition. At the Tampereen Sävel Choral Festival in 2005 the choir won the special prize from the jury for “standing for human values, high artistic level and accuracy in interpretation”. The latest CD of the choir, Yhteinen sydän – Shared heart, was released in 2007 and it presents examples of the versatile repertoire oh the choir.
The conductor of Ruamjai choir, Sanna Salminen, works as an assistant Professor in Music Pedagogy under the Department of Education at the University of Jyväskylä. She graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Jyväskylä in 2000. Her main subject was Music Education and during her studies she specialised in conducting and multicultural music. She has performed and led various instrumental and vocal groups, for example Medieval and Renaissance music, Thai music, Arabic music, Klezmer music, Finnish folk music, Classical music and Pop music. Salminen was the voice trainer and assistant conductor of Musica Chamber Choir and Vox Aurea Children’s Choir from 1998 to 2006. She has worked as a researcher and a teacher in a cooperation project with the Department of Music in South Africa since 2000. Her licentiate thesis from the field was completed in 2004. Salminen’s main instruments are the viola, violin and the medieval fiddle. Besides of choral work Salminen is known as a writer of school music books (Soi 3-4 and 5-6 / WSOY). In 2009 she'll start working as the conductor of Vox Aurea Children’s Choir.
Sanna Salminen
Takalankuja 7 D 24
40740 Jyväskylä
FINLAND
spkivine@jyu.fi
tel. +358-50-3791423
home: +358-14-211113