At the imminent 2015 edition of the International Arts Managers’ Association (IAMA) Conference, the central theme – In From the Margins – will aim to create an ongoing discussion focussing on classical music’s place in the mainstream.
Keynote speaker Khushroo Suntook (pictured above), chairman of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, India, will introduce the theme in his opening address to the conference, which this year takes place in Helsinki from 23-25 April: ‘As someone who has promoted western classical music – a fringe genre in India – with great vision, Suntook is an ideal speaker on this topic,’ says IAMA chief executive Atholl Swainston-Harrison.
Based in Helsinki’s impressive Finlandia Hall, the 25th edition of the conference will be presented as a partnership between IAMA and Music Finland – a first for the annual event that, over the past two decades, has grown significantly to become a major highlight of the annual arts management conferencing calendar.
Panel discussions spread across the two-day event will tackle such diverse topics as Perspectives in Classical Music (featuring Paivi Kärkkäinen, director general of the Finnish National Opera); Technology in Focus (with Jyri Huopaniemi, director and head of Nokia Research Centre Media Technology Laboratories); and In from the Margins: Gender, Age and Audience (led by Jasper Parrott, executive chairman of HarrisonParrott artist management).
‘It’s an experiment where we will showcase a lot of Finnish music,’ says Swainston-Harrison. ‘While Finland has a thriving music scene, in some ways they see themselves as being on the fringes of Europe, which is where this idea of discussing the fringe first came from.’ Concerts from Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and Lahti Symphony Orchestra are among the standout showcases in a programme that also features a performance from musical comedians The Fabulous Bäckström Brothers.
In addition to its broad array of panel talks and live music, IAMA 2015 will host peer-to-peer sessions and helpdesk events, aimed at covering more practical topics such as tax management for artists and international music competition protocols.
IAMA Conference 2015, Helsinki, 23-25 April