Seminaarinmäen mieslaulajat

Seminaarinmäen mieslaulajat aka Semmarit is a male choir from Jyväskylä, Finland formed in 1989. The group extremely seldom performs traditional male choir music. They deliberately break the boundaries of choral music

Seminaarinmäen mieslaulajat aka Semmarit is a male choir from Jyväskylä, Finland formed in 1989. The group extremely seldom performs traditional male choir music. They deliberately break the boundaries of choral music, and it is difficult to place their music in a specific genre. It is however strongly influenced by rock and roll and pop music. All songs are composed and regularly polled amongst the group members. The songs rarely have instrumental accompaniment; however, in some songs instruments are used for special effects. The instruments they have used included the djembe, the didgeridoo, the kazoo, a toilet door, a zipper in the fly of their trousers and water-filled beer bottles to imitate a panflute. Some group members also physically use their colleagues as air guitars for playing "instrumental" solos. Imaginative props and choreography are an integral part of the show.

Most of the singers are academically trained, singing non-professionally. The group doesn't perform very often, and most of the concerts take place on an annual tour. Seminaarinmäen mieslaulajat has toured in Finland, Germany and the United States. In 1996-7 they embarked on a sold-out tour in Finland with a symphony orchestra conducted by Atso Almila. The group consists of 21 singers and conductor Reima Viitala. Their lighting and sound technicians are so essential to the shows that they are considered to be members of the group. Recent recordings include a DVD Filminauhaa (2005) which promptly rose to no.2 on the Finnish charts. The superb sound on the DVD is the handiwork of a long time choir member Janne Kettunen, a producer and brass player extraordinaire.