Cellomania to close Finno-Ugric Days with Tallinn concert

Cello duo Cellomania will perform at the closing concert of Finno-Ugric Days in Tallinn, featuring war cellist Lukas Stasevskij, ERR reports. The concert will take place at Mustpeade maja, a concert venue in the city.

Cellomania consists of Finnish cellists Jaani Helander and Stasevskij. Their repertoire combines original music with classical cello works, pop and rock hits, and film music. The friends met at the Sibelius Academy and formed the duo in 2019.

Both musicians have links to Estonia. Helander is the great-grandson of professor August Tammekann, who fled to Finland during the Soviet occupation. Stasevskij was born in Tallinn and moved to Finland with his family as a child. He is Finnish-Ukrainian and currently studies film at Kyiv University.

Stasevskij drew international attention for giving cello performances in Ukraine among the ruins of bomb attacks and in trenches. He also performed in Bucha shortly after the Russians left. A book titled “War Cellist” and a television documentary have been made about him. Last year, he, his brother Justas Stasevskij and sister Dalia Stasevska were named Finland’s Europeans of the Year.