Renowned Finnish musician Pekka Simojoki from Kangasala (near Tampere in Finland) is touring Australia with his daughter Henna (22) and after concerts in Sydney and Brisbane is visiting Cairns this week. Pekka and Henna will be involved in our Trinity contemporary worship service next Sunday at 10 am to share their music and stories with us. Please come along, enjoy their music, and make them feel welcome over a cuppa after our service.
When: Sunday 2nd August 2009 at 10 am
Where: Trinity Lutheran Church
Having composed over 600 songs and recorded more than 40 albums with his various bands and choirs, Pekka Simojoki is presently one of the most productive Finnish Christian artists. From traditional style hymns to contemporary Christian music and Christian rock music he is known for numeral contemporary masses, musicals, bands, and a huge number of popular and beloved songs. A professional musician; a Master of Theology; and a husband and father of four children – meet Pekka and Henna at our service this Sunday.
Born in 1958, Pekka fell in love with music at a young age when his missionary family lived in Namibia, Africa for 8 years (1964-1973). He composed his first pieces of music at the age of 13, but got into it more seriously when he met poetrician Anna-Mari Kaskinen in 1979. Together they have composed and written several famous and much beloved Christian songs, contemporary masses (e.g. African style Lutheran mass) and musicals.
Pekka's music has been published internationally and translated into many different languages. He has toured the world including Germany (1984, 1996, 2006, 2007, 2008), Budabest and the DDR (1986), the Far East (1989), France (1991), Romania (1991), Russia (1998, 2004), Hungary (2000, 2004), Poland (2006), Kosovo (2000), Canada (2008) and Switzerland (2008).
His work has been awarded on a national level. At the moment, Pekka is a free lance musician who travels with his Exit band and EtCetera choir, holds concerts at schools, organises music camps, visits festivals and seminars, and composes music.
If you speak Finnish, check out his website here, or in English you can browse his Exit band website with photos and audio samples here.