Pessi Levanto FINLAND
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HARPA Nominated 2024 for his score for Karoline Lyngbye's "Superposition".
Pessi Levanto's timeless and organic score raises Superposition's mystic atmosphere to a new dimension, in a way that only a professionally tailored original score can. Music is strongly present, but no hints are granted for the viewer about what is about to happen or what one should think. Levanto's score is in a primal way familiar and yet unheard. |
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HARPA nominated 2021 for his score for Marie Grahtø Sørensen ’Psychosia’
Pessi Levanto´s score in the film ’Psychosia’ is a masterful example of how not to overwrite. Everything irrelevant is cut out and every cue is on the spot. The music pays a clear homage to contemporary classical composers rather than to the more traditional film music composers. Pessi also cleverly uses material derived from Schubert´s Der Leiermann. More than a regular film score the music almost acts a role of its own in the film as one of the characters. It haunts you when you least expect it and stays in the shadows when you would like it to help you the most. It keeps you on your toes and doesn’t relieve the tension for a second. The music has a totally unique sound to it organically hand crafted by Pessi with his own recordings of harp, piano, vocals and violin twisted to his taste, making the score a thrilling masterpiece. - Finnish jury: Juri Seppä |
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HARPA nominated in 2016 for his score in Antti J. Jokinen's "The Midwife"
The Midwife is a romance-drama set during WWII in Finland’s Lapland province, a major European battle ground of the war. Based on Katja Kettu’s bestselling novel, 'The Midwife' turns on the love affair between a Lapp midwife and a Nazi SS officer set against the backdrop of the Lapland War, which opposed Finnish and Germany armies in 1944-45. The themes in the story are international. It’s about conquering love and war, and class boundaries that are broken down. |
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Pessi Levanto (b. 1973) is one of the most prominent film composers in Finland. His wide knowledge of both classical and jazz/rock genres gives him a versatile and personal way of writing. His style is based on acoustic instruments, colourfully orchestrated but often treated and processed in the studio in creative ways.
Pessi has scored around thirty feature films and the same amount of shorts, documentaries and tv-shows. He has released eight records of his own and played in and done arrangements for dozens of others. His works range from symphony orchestras to big bands, from chamber ensembles to a cappella groups, from rock bands to brass septets.
Recent work from Pessi includes: Feature film ”Superposition” (2023) directed by Karoline Lyngbye, Feature film “The Innocents” (2021), directed by Eskil Vogt, Co-credit in feature film ”Let the River Flow” (2023) directed by Ole Giaever, TV-Series "Pala Sydämestä” (A Piece of My Heart) (2021), directed by Hanna Maylett, Short film ”My Unborn Son" (2022), directed by Gyöngyi Fazekas, Short film "Reconstruction" (2021), directed by Pia Andell. TV- series ’Lasten Tasavalta’ (Republic of Children) (2020), directed by Rami Saarijärvi.
Apart from the film world, Pessi is a sought-after arranger and has written a large number of orchestral arrangements for all main Finnish orchestras. A big project in this field was, for example, Classical Trancelations with the Helsinki Philharmonics, sold-out shows of orchestral versions of club music classics.
In fall of 2023 Pessi released his first solo album in a long while called ”Sky Above Your Life”, featuring a 40-member string orchestra, five flutes, experimental percussion and himself on piano.
Pessi has scored around thirty feature films and the same amount of shorts, documentaries and tv-shows. He has released eight records of his own and played in and done arrangements for dozens of others. His works range from symphony orchestras to big bands, from chamber ensembles to a cappella groups, from rock bands to brass septets.
Recent work from Pessi includes: Feature film ”Superposition” (2023) directed by Karoline Lyngbye, Feature film “The Innocents” (2021), directed by Eskil Vogt, Co-credit in feature film ”Let the River Flow” (2023) directed by Ole Giaever, TV-Series "Pala Sydämestä” (A Piece of My Heart) (2021), directed by Hanna Maylett, Short film ”My Unborn Son" (2022), directed by Gyöngyi Fazekas, Short film "Reconstruction" (2021), directed by Pia Andell. TV- series ’Lasten Tasavalta’ (Republic of Children) (2020), directed by Rami Saarijärvi.
Apart from the film world, Pessi is a sought-after arranger and has written a large number of orchestral arrangements for all main Finnish orchestras. A big project in this field was, for example, Classical Trancelations with the Helsinki Philharmonics, sold-out shows of orchestral versions of club music classics.
In fall of 2023 Pessi released his first solo album in a long while called ”Sky Above Your Life”, featuring a 40-member string orchestra, five flutes, experimental percussion and himself on piano.