Hospital Symphonies is a vocal piece, that is based on wordless human voice and participation. It is part of Heidi Fast’s artistic doctoral dissertation for Aalto University’s Department of Arts. The work was realised with the psychiatric dept. of HYKS Helsinki Hospital. Vocal artist-researcher Fast invited eight people, who had been given therapy at HYKS Psykiatria, and nurse Heimo Spelman, to create new ways of being together, with the participants’ unique voices. The vocal atmospheres, that are heard in the work, are made of recordings of 15 sessions, which were later joined by Fast, and vocal artists Sanna Kurki-Suonio and Juha Valkeapää. The patients’ and artistic team’s voices mix in the concert-installation, that consists of both recorded and live sounds, in indistinguishable and comforting ways.

Hospital Symphonies shows the human ability to come together with others without words. We are together on the level of corporeal encounter, in close vicinity to other person, with voice. The work does not “give voice to the patiens”. During the process, such conditions were created, that people themselves made their voices heard in a new way. This work is a crystallization of the process.

Concept and direction Heidi Fast
Voices Heidi Fast, Sanna Kurki-Suonio, Juha Valkeapää, eight patients from HYKS Psykiatria, Heimo Spelman
Sound design and live electronics Markus Kärki and Mikko Kolehmainen

Both the work and research has been accepted by the Ethical Committee of HUS Helsinki Hospital, and they have HUS research permit. The participants’ have given their consent.

Premier at Musiikkitalo, Black Box, 12 January, 2018. The next performances at Lapinlahden Lähde, Helsinki, 21-22 February, 2018.

Photo: Jorma Airola