PK (the Polytech Choir) is an academic Finnish male choir renowned for its open-minded attitude to music and life. Consisting of singers from Helsinki University of Technology, the choir draws its strength from its members’ enjoyment of working together and rising to new challenges. PK refuses to compromise over its musical ambition and high standard of performance. The conductor and artistic director of the Choir, since 2013, is Master of Music (choral conducting, Sibelius Academy) Saara Aittakumpu.

Founded in 1900, the choir is still firmly rooted in Finland’s vibrant National-Romantic tradition of male-choir singing. PK’s a cappella repertoire is mostly made up of different kinds of classical music from the Romantic era to modern music, yet the choir can also entertain its audience with barbershop, pop music and serenades. Every year, the choir has 10-15 performances, including traditional Christmas and spring concerts.

The choir regularly joins forces with leading symphony orchestras both in Finland and on tour abroad. For example, the choir has performed Sibelius’s Kullervo with orchestras such as the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra of London, and with conductors such as Leif Segerstam, Sakari Oramo, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Jukka-Pekka Saraste. In Finland PK has also sung the choral parts of orchestral masterpieces by Schubert, Strauss, Stravinsky and Shostakovich, among others.

PK is particularly proud of its pioneering work to promote modern male-choir music. Finnish composers have taken the choir to their hearts, and found in it an enthusiastic instrument ready to throw itself unconditionally into their experiments. During the past 20 years, the choir has commissioned and premiered almost 40 new works. Thus, contemporary music has become not only a welcome but also a vital challenge for it.