Mari-Anni Hilander
is a Finnish soprano and a teacher of singing. A student of music education and vocal music, she graduated from the Sibelius Academy in 1996. She gained a qualification in singing in spring 2010 and supplemented her studies at the Theatre Academy in Helsinki, where she also qualified in the field of theatre pedagogy. Throughout the early part of this century she spent a lot of time as a performing artist, freelance musician and teacher of singing in different parts of Finland and Europe. Her singing repertoire extends to ancient music, rhythm music, hymns and modern art music. Since 2004, Hilander has been studying with Professor Dorothy Irving. She is currently a lecturer in classical singing at the Kuopio Music and Dance Academy. She is also in demand as a trainer in vocal skills of singers and choirs all round Finland. From 2017 Mari-Anni Hilander will start work as a lecturer in vocal art at the Sibelius Academy.

Henri Tikkanen
made his debut in Helsinki Opera in 2020 singing the role of Goswin von Herike (T. Pylkkänen, Mare ja hänen poikansa). In April 2020 Tikkanen will be seen as Guglielmo (W.A. Mozart, Così fan tutte) in Sibelius Academy’s production in Helsinki.

Feeling at home on stage Tikkanen finds opera fascinating and enjoys playing with the dynamics between fellow actors, the music and the audience. Tikkanen also has a burning passion for Lieder. Encouraged by winning the prize for 2nd place of the Helsinki Lied competition with his duo partner Mariola Aniolek in 2015, Tikkanen has been increasingly active as a recitalist.

In May 2020 Tikkanen will graduate as a Master of Music from the Sibelius Academy opera programme. During his studies Tikkanen has also worked with internationally known singers and coaches such as Dorothy Irving, Soile Isokoski, Konrad Jarnot, Jeffrey Goldberg and Martin Katz.

Over the past few years Tikkanen has performed in opera productions such as Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (UK premiere 2018) with Joyce DiDonato and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (2018) with Christopher Purves. Recent roles include Melisso (G.F. Händel, Alcina), Tarquinius (B. Britten, The Rape of Lucretia) and Ben (G. C. Menotti, The Telephone).

Tikkanen has also sung as a soloist with Oulu Symhony Orchestra, Kuopio, Lohja and Hämeenlinna City Orchestras and Pori Sinfonietta.

Tikkanen’s artistic development and work have been supported by Finnish Cultural, Martin Wegelius, Selim Eskelin and Pro Musica foundations.