In our third year of partnership with Music Finland, we’re delighted to welcome Lauri Supponen as Composer in Residence at hcmf// 2026. The 49th edition of the UK’s leading festival of new and experimental music takes place from Friday 20 November – Sunday 29 November 2026, featuring a 10-day programme packed with performances, installations and exhibitions including new commissions and premieres from internationally renowned artists and musicians.

“We are delighted that Lauri Supponen has been selected as Composer in Residence during the partnership between Music Finland and hcmf//. Lauri is a composer who moves naturally between different art forms, with a strong focus on collaboration with performers. Dialogue with the environment and humanistic values are central to his music, which is why it resonates with audiences.”

Sari Aalto-Setälä, Executive Director, Music Finland

 

“Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival stands among the most inspiring festivals for new music in the world. Its current multi-year focus on Finland not only presents Finnish music and ensembles in their richness – it encourages both audiences and creators in profound and playful exploration. Lauri Supponen as hcmf//‘s Composer in Residence 2026 truly manifests this. It is exciting to encounter his multi-dimensional musical world in Huddersfield this autumn.”

Aleksi Malmberg, Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

 

Lauri Supponen is a Helsinki-based composer whose music explores the shifting relationships between sound and its environment, often unfolding as part of a larger continuum rather than as isolated works. Rarely creating closed, self-contained pieces, he approaches composition as an open framework — one that remains receptive to external influences, encounters and transformations over time. Many of his works exist within cycles that develop shared ideas across multiple pieces, such as Union of Precarious Musicians (2017–18), which reflects on changing conditions of labour, and the ongoing Marian cycle (2019–), inspired by the iconography of the Annunciation.

“Instead of thinking about the social significance of a composer, we should think about the social significance of imagination and listening.”  

Lauri Supponen

 

His compositional practice spans installations, DIY electronics and performance art, continually rethinking what it means to compose. Moving away from earlier, system-based approaches, Supponen now works more intuitively, grounding his process in reflection, experimentation and a strong conceptual focus. His works often extend beyond traditional concert formats, incorporating constructed instruments, movement and visual elements, while foregrounding collaboration as a shared, collective act. Increasingly, his practice is shaped by an interest in listening and imagination as social and artistic forces, creating situations that invite heightened awareness of how sound is perceived and experienced.

 

“I’m humbled to join the incredible score of Composer in Residence at hcmf// and wholly thrilled to share several of my works on a wide scale alongside my colleagues and compatriots. During my studies in London, Huddersfield seemed like on another planet, and I’m only glad that the irresistible pull of the experimental edge is bringing me in, as that’s where I think the magic happens. Festivals like hcmf// are beacons in a warmongering world that pushes the softer values of listening aside. I’m very happy to be part of it this year.”

Lauri Supponen

 

“Supponen is a self-confessed thoughtful composer asking himself ‘why I’m planning to compose for this particular ensemble, or in this form’. This thoughtfulness extends to the audience as the experience of the listener is paramount in his work, and to the performer, taking the utmost care to place their unique strengths at the heart of any creation.” 

Graham McKenzie, Artistic Director & Chief Executive, hcmf//

 

 

Collaboration sits at the centre of Supponen’s practice. Working closely with instrumentalists, dancers, visual artists and fellow composers, he develops projects that often cross disciplinary boundaries. As Composer in Residence at hcmf// 2026, Supponen will present a series of works that reflect his collaborative, exploratory approach to sound and its surroundings, including: 

East (c. 20’): Commissioned by hcmf// for Eva Zöllner (accordion) and Heather Roche (Bb clarinet), this piece takes inspiration from a precariously continuing aural tradition in Supponen’s family, adding to his cycle of works exploring cardinal directions and will be receiving its World Premiere at hcmf// 2026. 

Picea (25’): For solo violin, electronics, and live video, Picea will receive its UK Premiere in Huddersfield performed by Marie Schreer. 

Ave Maris Stella (30’): Performed by Saxtronauts, this UK Premiere is widely regarded as Supponen’s signature work—a three-part concert installation realised through live electronics and experimental instrument construction. 

SYKLIT: A new trio blending techno influences with reimagined material from their previous works for choir and percussion, featuring Supponen performing alongside percussionist Kalle Hakosalo and video artist Irene Suosalo.

 

Keep an eye out for upcoming programme announcements and exclusive interviews as this year’s festival draws closer.