TelepART supports – Case Lau Nau

TelepART supports – Case Lau Nau

TelepART

Laura Naukkarinen, alias Lau Nau, is a Finnish folk singer-songwriter, composer and producer. Apart from producing music albums and performing, she also makes sound art, creates sound installations and composes music for movies and performing arts. She is also part of the experimental improvisational group Kiri Ra! and in duo with Matti Bye.

Lau Nau was granted TelepART Mobility Support in 2019 for ILMIÖ London – A Night of Finnish Phenomena, a concert at Cafe Oto in London. She also received TelepART funding for a solo concert at Cecil Sharp House in London a year later.

Have you performed or worked in the UK before these TelepART concerts? 

My first concerts in the UK were probably in 2005. After that I have been performing there from time to time. I have also composed music for performing art pieces in the UK.

Could you tell us a bit about the concert you were granted TelepART funding in 2019? 

Ilmiö is a Finnish festival organised in Turku by the same people that organise the H2Ö-festival. They wanted to organise a pre-festival club event at Cafe Oto in London. Cafe Oto is a dear concert venue for me because the artists that perform there are usually the ones that I personally like and appreciate. The organisers of ILMIÖ festival invited Finnish artists that have been working closely with them and play for international audiences.

How did the concert go?

It was really successful and fun. People came to the venue. I was performing in duo with (jouhikko musician) Pekko Käppi. There was a sense of community there. The audience were very excited about Finnish music and were already acquainted with our music. There was a real community atmosphere between the performers and the organisers.

What was the role of TelepART in this concert?

I haven’t applied for the funding myself but I believe it was crucial. The concert would not have happened in that form without any funding.

Could you also tell shortly about your recent concert in London?

I came to London to perform solo at an electronic music event at the legendary folk music venue Cecil Sharp House. I played on my modular synthesizer. There was also a British electronic duo performing on the same evening. The concert was linked to music that I had been composing to the Irish movie Land without God that premiered the evening before at the Irish Cultural Institute. I played a couple of songs that I had composed for the movie.

The concert was really nicely organised. It was well attended and the audience had come there to listen carefully and were really focused.

How has the TelepART funding helped you in your professional development?

It has given me opportunities. Every performance can open opportunities for something new. Many concerts have widened my chances for that. I believe that the concerts and beautiful meetings with fans and other people are of significance for my future career.

Did you reach any new audiences through these concerts?

If I compare these two London concerts, the one last year was for my established audience. They were the kind of people that already know me and were wanting to see me perform.

The concert in the following year was in a new environment – a new venue and a new organiser. I think I reached new audiences there. Both audiences are important.

Did any new job opportunities come up as a result of the TelepART concert in 2019? 

I met the event organiser for the concert at Cecil Sharp House this year at the concert last year. I also met other important people in the music business then. I cannot straightforwardly say what’s an individual concert’s impact but somehow I get invitations to compose or perform. That might happen because someone has seen me perform in London or have seen a video from there.

Learn more about TelepART here.

Listen to the film score from Land without God:

Fonal Records · Lau Nau: The Saints

Text: Sara Nguyen
Photo: Kirsi Kukkarainen


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