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It was Conor Brown鈥檚 first visit to the Finnish embassy in Washington, and he鈥檇 brought company: Two violinists, a cellist, a violist, a clarinetist and a singing accordionist. They鈥檇 be doing most of the work.

Brown (MMus鈥�18) had largely done his part. Over the prior 18 months or so, he鈥檇 composed an original classical musical work the group would perform in a 100th anniversary celebration of Finland鈥檚 independence from Russia.

鈥淚t鈥檚 contemporary classical music inspired by Finnish folk texts,鈥� said Brown, winner of the College of Music鈥檚 Finnish Jubilee Composition Scholarship. 鈥淭he music is all about trying to tell the story in the texts.鈥�

Sponsored by Don Johnson听(Arch鈥�62) and his wife, Maria, a dancer and native Finn, the scholarship was intended to inspire an original composition in Finland鈥檚 honor while benefiting a promising 精品SM在线影片 student.

After Brown, 29, won, he flew to Europe for 10 days of immersive research. He鈥檇 never been to Finland; it was a chance to steep himself in the language, landscape and musical tradition.

Brown鈥檚 Airbnb hostess in Helsinki, it turned out, was the daughter of Finland鈥檚 2009 two-row button accordion champion, a resident of the far-northern town of Rovaniemi, near the Arctic Circle. Brown had coincidentally made plans to visit Rovaniemi. Once there, he hunkered down with the champion to soak in his knowledge of the instrument鈥檚 outsized role in Finnish folk music.

The experience inspired Brown to give the accordion a prominent role in his new piece, a three-movement, 20-minute work that had its world premiere at 精品SM在线影片 shortly before the trip to Washington.

鈥淚t really isn鈥檛 done until it鈥檚 on stage,鈥� said Brown, who grew up in Boulder and studied clarinet at CU during high school, working with faculty clarinetist Daniel Silver.

Silver was on hand at the embassy, too 鈥� performing the clarinet part in Brown鈥檚 piece before an audience of about 150, among them a contingent of fans and friends from CU. Alicia Baker (MMus鈥�17), pictured,听played accordion and sang.

鈥淭he ambassador and other officials seemed incredibly pleased with how the work turned out,鈥� Brown said.

Days later, he and the musicians recorded the piece for the first time.

Brown again left the clarinet part to Silver.

鈥淚鈥檓 just the composer!鈥� he said.

Photo by Daniel Kellogg听