Four questions to Anthony Marini, baroque violinist and member of the festival planning commitee:

The Helsinki Early Music Festival is built on the foundation of the Encanto Festival. You have been involved for many years, both as a musician as well as more recently part of the planning committee. How would you describe HEMF's journey from an idea to an established festival?

When Encanto first started the goal was to use the international language of music to celebrate the gifts of diversity and multiculturalism. While the Festival has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 2014, this vision has remained at the centre of the festival's mission. Through the years, the richness of working with colleagues from abroad helped to distil that mission into one centring around musical exchanges with guest musicians as well as embracing the diversity we find in our own backyard here in Finland! After surviving (and even thriving) last year's "coronavirus festival", I am confident that this year's festival will be the best one yet!

You came to Finland to study baroque violin. You have come a long way from a student to becoming a leader and concertmaster. What does your cultural background offer to your Finnish colleagues?

I must say, after living here for well over 10 years, I feel like a mix of Finn and American. I think that both my American nationality and my experiences studying and working in other parts of Europe bring a range of new and different approaches to working styles as well as unique musical approaches. In Baroque music, the understanding of regional styles is so central to how we perform. But as an American, I don't belong to any of those traditions, so I like to think that it gives me a chance to look at all of these facets of music with the fresh outlook of an outsider.  

You are planning a programme for the festival in which musicians from three different Nordic baroque ensembles will join forces. What does this mixture of musicians mean to you? Is it a risk or an opportunity?

It's definitely both a risk and an opportunity! It's a joy to allow so many musicians to meet, work, and perform together. Since we have the luxury of all performing at the same festival, it seemed like it would be a shame to let that opportunity go to waste! I think the end result will be really fun!

The majority of baroque musicians are freelancers, like you. Many of them have many different kinds of talents. You also have a background in IT. Why did you choose to work as a baroque musician even though the field is more challenging financially than some other fields?

As a freelancer, one has to have a plethora of "irons in the fire", so to speak, in order to make a living. I am a violinist, a translator, an English teacher, a computer nerd, among plenty of other things. But the most challenging thing is finding the right balance between all those things. I moved to Finland in 2010 because my balance wasn't right: I was too deep in the IT world and not doing anything fulfilling musically. So I came to Finland to change that balance, and indeed I have! I have been very fortunate that things have developed the way they have, and I'm grateful to be able to make a modest living preaching the good news of Baroque music!

What else would you like to share with our readers about the festival?

This year's festival will be a fanTAStic, with lots of new faces, really spectacular concerts, and wonderful venues. I know that the lockdown and restrictions related to coronavirus have been frustrating and sometimes even frightening. I hope that lots of people will come out to hear these amazing performances, and show the world that this virus can not keep us from our love of music! That being said, many of the venues might have to be sold at lower capacities out of an abundance of caution, so you should get your tickets as soon as possible to ensure that you get a good seat!