Kaartin soittokunta is the oldest operational orchestra in Finland, founded in Parola on April 1, 1819 during the Grand Duchy period. It is an official representative military band of the Finnish Defence Forces. The orchestra plays mostly classical, military and march music in various official and public events. The band's most important annual concerts are the Töölö concerts, entertainment concerts in spring at Finlandia Hall and a classical concert in Helsinki Music Centre. As of 2013, Kaartin soittokunta consists of a chief, a conductor ) and 48 musicians. It is the only full professional symphonic wind band in Finland.
Different names
During its history the orchestra has operated under various names:
Helsingin Opetuspataljoonan soittokunta 1819-1827
Suomen Opetustarkk'ampujapataljoonan soittokunta 1827-1829
Henkivartioväen Suomen tarkk'ampujapataljoonan soittokunta 1829-1878
Henkivartioväen 3. Suomen tarkk'ampujapataljoonan soittokunta 1878-1905
Helsingin Torvisoittokunta 1901-1918
Pohjois-Pohjanmaan rykmentin soittokunta 1918
Suomen Valkoisen Kaartin rykmentin soittokunta 1918
Valkoisen Kaartin rykmentin soittokunta 1918-1919
Suomen Valkoisen Kaartin rykmentin soittokunta 1919-1940
Helsingin Varuskunnan soittokunta 1941-1952
Helsingin Varuskunnan soittokunta I 1952
Helsingin Varuskuntasoittokunta 1952-1990
Kaartin soittokunta 1990-
History
Founded in Parola on April 1, 1819 as the band of the Helsingin Opetuspataljoona.
First the band had only three musicians but in the end of year it had grown to twelve with Josef Thaddeus Tvarjansky as the conductor.
December 24, 1824 the band, now with 21 musicians, nine trumpeters and two fifers moved with the battalion to Helsinki.
1829 the battalion was named Suomen Opetustarkk'ampujapataljoona and received the rank of New Guards of the Russian Imperial Guard. It was more commonly known as Suomen kaarti . Starting from this year, the battalion and band were stationed during the summer in Krasnoye Selo, near St. Petersburg, where the Tsar had his summer residence.
1831-1832 Suomen kaarti took part in the quelling of the November Uprising in Poland. Before leaving to Poland the band had one conductor, 32 musicians, 9 drummers, 9 trumpeters and one drum major.
1861 an imperial decree established the instrumentation of the band as 1 conductor, 34 musicians, 12 students, 1 band trumpet major and 20 company fanfare trumpeters plus the band drum major, a pure brass wind ensemble.
1874 first Finnish born conductor, Adolf Leander, was appointed to the band.
1905 Henkivartioväen 3. Suomen tarkk'ampujapataljoona was disbanded. Many of the musicians transferred to Helsingin Torvisoittokunta which also received many instruments and sheet music from the band.
1917 Finland gains independence.
1918 Helsingin Torvisoittokunta performed in military functions of the Senate during the Finnish Civil War and was taken into active service as Valkoisen Kaartin Rykmentin Soittokunta.
1919 name changed to Suomen Valkoisen Kaartin Soittokunta.
1924 Johan Leonard Linnala appointed as conductor.
1964 Arvo Uro appointed as Chief Conductor of Finnish Defence Forces as well as leading Helsingin Varuskuntasoittokunta and adjoining Defence Forces Music School.
