Sigla

“Whizzing, growling and rattling - you can produce all kinds of sounds with the harp, not just the fairy-tale shimmer and glissandos that you first think of.” Lotta Wennäkoski composed Sigla for harp and orchestra (2021-2022) in close collaboration with the harpist Sivan Magen, to whom the concerto is dedicated.

The title of the concerto, Sigla, has different meanings in different languages. In Italian, it means a jingle; in Icelandic, it means sailing; and in Tagalog, spoken in the Philippines, it means vivaciousness or enthusiasm. Wennäkoski has not specifically referenced these in the movements of the concerto as such, but she does allow that the various meanings of the word may be identified with the music according to the listener's perception.

Instrumentation:
Harp solo - equipped with paint brush, tuning key and a plastic hair clip
2 Flutes (2nd doubling piccolo)
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in Bb
2 Bassoons
2 Horns in F
2 Trumpets in C - trumpets and trombone doubling an egg slicer
Bass trombone attached to a piece of wood or a flat cardboard box
Percussion (2 players)
Percussion I: crotales, vibraphone, 5 gongs (a#, bn, c', e', f'), bass drum, cymbal, guiro, bell tree, shell chimes, whip, lion's roar and different beaters including a bow, superball stck and wire brushes
Percussion II: tam-tam, cymbal, snare drum, 2 cowbells, 2 temple blocks (med/lg), triangle (small/med), vibraslap and different beaters including a bow, wire brushes and superball stick
Piano - equipped with a plectrum, wire brushes and 2 soft percussion beaters
Strings