MetaLAB:
CLOWN CHORUS
2025
KEYWORDS
Clown Chorus, choir singing with clown voices, red nose, choir camp, weekly meetings, concerts
TO WHOM
Clown Chorus is looking for a complement to its harmonic ranks, from alto to coloratura soprano, whiskey basses are also considered.
Our long-term goal is to create a strong, committed core group, with whom it would also be possible to gig in the future. So we hope that the members could commit to the activity for at least one year at a time.
The choir is aimed at performers who already have a touch with their own personal clown. It doesn't matter where you are on your clowning journey, what school you come from, or whether you are an experienced clown or just at the beginning of your clowning journey. Each clown's contribution to the choir's collective vitality is unique and important.
If you don't have clowning experience yet, but the clown choir attracts you as a singer, we recommend that you take a basic clown course either before the choir starts or during the beginning of the year, because we don't focus on the basics of clowning in the choir rehearsals.
As for musical skill level, the clown choir is open to singers of all abilities. We highly appreciate all your pre-existing musicality and skills -even the odd ones.
DESCRIPTION
CHOIR CAMP
The 2025 clown choir will be launched at a long weekend choir camp at the Art Residence SäVäri in Sastamala. The purpose of the choir camp is to bring together the new and old members of the choir and to get to know the unique universes of our clowns and to prepare for the coming year in camp conditions. So what does this camp conditions mean? Landing in the peace of the countryside, snuggling in bunk beds, clown singing moments in the sauna, guided clown and singing training and having wonderful dining moments with a group.
WEEKLY CHOIR MEETINGS
In Helsinki, in the rehearsal room of Teatteri Metamorfoosi, the choir continues to tune the group harmony and develop the repertoire with regular, three-hour weekly choir rehearsals. The exercises are a mixture of movement and singing, with and without noses. There will be no shortage of laughter!
CONCERTS
Teatteri Metamorfoosi organize at least two concerts a year for Clown Chorus. In addition, we apply to perform at other events as well, e.g. Clown Festival Red Pearl of Hurjaruuth and Art Goes Kapakka’s event the Choirs' Tour. Clown Chorus is aiming to do gigs for enterprises also.
CHORUS LEADERS
IIKA HARTIKAINEN
Iika Hartikainen is a member of Teatteri Metamorfoosi and a performer in the free field of art. She graduated as a theater instructor in 2013 and has since worked in professional productions of mask and physical theater, in projects that apply the arts, and as a trainer. Hartikainen has also worked as a singer and music composer for a long time and combines it in her work in the theater as well.
Her clown Nolja Kekkonen is used to toiling in the background but does not mind if she happens to get into the limelight. Nolja has been a member of the clown choir since its foundation and sometimes also acts as an accompanist.
SOILE MÄKELÄ
Klovnikuoro's founder Soile Mäkelä (TeM) is a long-time mask theater professional who explores the world with physical theater as a teacher, director or actor. Her clown Halla Kalma sings in the clown choir and sometimes also plays the urn jar.
LANGUAGE
Finnish or English depending of the need
TIMETABLE
SPRING 2025
During the spring season there will be choir camp and 13 weekly meetings, from which two are concerts/gigs.
CHORUS CAMP IN SASTAMALA
Time: 31.1.–2.2.2025
Fri 31.1. arrival at Säväri at 18:00, dinner, sauna
Sat 1.2. breakfast, clown and singing rehersals 10-17, lunch in between, dinner, clown sauna
Sun 2.2. breakfast, rehearsals 10-13, lunch, departure after 14:00
WEEKLY MEETINGS IN HELSINKI
Time: 4.2.–6.5.2025
Mainly on Tuesdays 17:30-20:30
FEBRUARY
4/11/ 25 (Note:18.2. there will not be a meeting, due to vinter holiday in Helsinki.)
MARCH
4/11/25 (+ Sat 15.3. possible gig at the Clown Festival Red Pearl and if so the Tue 18.3. will be free)
APRIL
1/8/15/22/28 (NOTE: the 28th is exeptionally Monday)
MAY
Final concert of the spring on Tue 6.5. (the venue will be confirmed later)
AUTUMN 2025
There will be 12 meetings on the autumn period, including participation for the Tour of the Choirs and general rehearsal and the show at the Clown Matinee of Teatteri Metamorfoosi.
AUGUST
Rehearsal for the Tour of the Choirs on Tue 19.8.
Participation for the big choir concert at the Tour of the Choirs on Thu 21.8.
Weekly meeting on Tue 26.8.
SEPTEMBER
2/9/16/23/30
OCTOBER
7/14
In addition performing at the Clown Matinee:
Fri 17.10.
technical run through with MetaPLATFORM: Clown workshop participants 10-15:00 and general rehearsal at 15:00-
Sat 18.10. preparation for the show 12-15:00 and the show 15:00-
(Estimation length of the Clown Matinee will be 3h (including the intermission).
After the show there will be feedback, party and cleaning)
PARTICIPANTS
Min. 8 person
PRICE
SPRING 2025 (due date 16th of January)
320€ New members
290€ Old members from previous year (2024)
The price includes:
-13 times 3-hours weekly meetings in Helsinki
-The expenses of Choir Camp (9 hours workshop, accommodation and meals. Note that the travel expenses (Helsinki-Sastamala-Helsinki) are not included in the price. We will travel there in publick transportation or organize shared travels with cars if possible.)
AUTUMN 2025 (due date 4th of August)
250€
VENUES
CHOIR CAMP
Art Residency SäVäri
Hako-Ojantie 25
Sastamala 38510
WEEKLY MEETINGS
Teatteri Metamorfoosi / Point Fixe
Suvilahdenkatu 10 A 4th floor
00500 Helsinki
Metro: Kalasatama or Sörnäinen
(All the rights reserved for the changes for Teatteri Metamorfoosi)
CLOWN CHORUS
History and goals
CLOWN CHORUS sang its' first notes out loud in the fall of 2019 at the MetaLAB -Movement Laboratory of Teatteri Metamorfoosi.
Choir's activities have been laboratory-like, as both the leaders and the participants have been on the brink of something new. What is new is not so much the choir singing or the clown, but their sweet combination.
The goal of the CLOWN CHORUS is to make all the colorful clown voices sound harmoniously and to do clownery through music. The clown's voice gives room for play and it speaks or sings with the mouth of all our human failures.
For the first year, the musical director of the choir was the versatile musician, trumpeter, composer and performer Eero Savela alias Aine Klaine.
From autumn 2020 until the end of the year 2024, the music director was theatre teacher and music pedagogue Helena Leminen and her charming clown Grace Von Virtanen.
From January 2025, theatre instructor Iika Hartikainen and her talented, but ah so humble choir member clown Nolja Kekkonen will take the step to the other side, and direct the choir
Founder member and co-director of the choir is Soile Mäkelä, whose clown Halla Kalma sings in the choir.