Torvikopla - The student big band from Tampere, Finland

About Torvikopla

Torvikopla is a big band with an expanded line-up, among thetraditional big band instruments (trumpets, trombones, saxophones,piano, guitar, bass, drums & percussion) also clarinets and flutes areincluded. Torvikopla first started as a wind band but has sincedeveloped in to a big band of its personal nature. NowadaysTorvikopla's repertoire consists of a wide range of big band andentertainment music, including jazz, swing, funk, bossa nova, latinand some big band arrangements of pop hits.

Torvikopla is quite an active band, as our recent activities show.Almost every year we arrange a concert tour abroad. Last concert tourwas to Holland in 2006 where we visited the local university big bandin Eindhoven. Before that we went, for example, to Riga, Latvia (2005)and Tarto, Estonia (2004). In the spring 2007 Torvikopla entered TheFinnish National Wind Band Competition in Tampere and won the greatestaward in the open level competition.

The history of Torvikopla

"Playing skill is not a hindrance to join us!"
This could be the motto of Torvikopla, the student big band from Tampere, Finland.

There is a tradition of wind bands at the Finnish universities. The most essential idealogical basis for these bands has traditionally been to have a good time and, hopefully, to play well. This goes for Torvikopla too. The name itself gives some idea of the band's ideology - Torvikopla means either a bunch of wind instrument players OR a bunch of total blockheads. It's up to the audience to decide...

Until the Autumn of 1991 the University of Tampere didn't have a wind band. A few active students saw the situation and decided to form a band. Posters were put up all over the university and flyers were given out, inviting interested players to come and find out what was going on. Quite a few people showed up and started to play. This is how Torvikopla was born.

The players come from the various institutes in the Tampere area. Most of us, however, are students at either the University of Tampere or the University of Technology in Tampere. Torvikopla does not audition new members - everybody's welcome and the only requirement is that you bring your own instrument (except the drums, for example).

Torvikopla's musical line consists of big band andentertainment music, including jazz, swing, funk, bossa nova, latinand some big band arrangements of pop hits. In the Spring of 1994 Torvikopla recorded a cd. All of the six tracks on the cd are written by mr. Ilppo Hiekkanen, who was back then band's Composer-in-Residence.

Torvikopla finances its existence mainly by concerts and gigs. Theband gives concerts on a local music club every year. We also play ondifferent occasions at the universities. On the more informal side,Torvikopla is a well-liked guest at student societies' parties at thelocal Student Union club, as well as at all kinds of other happeningsaround the city.

During its existence Torvikopla has matured to be a skillful amateur band with its own distinctive repertoire. New members guarantee that the band will not cease to exist when the veteran players start graduating. In a few words, one might say that Torvikopla has become a way of life for us.