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We started the vocal ensemble GRÄNSFALL | RAJATAPAUS in the autumn of 2009. That year we looked back two hundred years at a sequence of events that led one of the superpowers of those days, Sweden, to loose a section of its area to another superpower, Russia. The section was called Finland. These events led to a time of individual growth for the two countries, but at the same time to a time of growing side by side for the two nations.

The growth was to be strengthened a little over a hundred years later when Finland gained her independence and could start to take concrete steps towards becoming a part of the Nordic community. The Swedish-speaking population in Finland, and the Finnish-speaking population in Sweden have partly contributed to the fact that the boundary between the two countries is somewhat opaque. The border between the two countries is clear of course, but the boundary between the two peoples maybe less so.

"Boundary" is an interesting concept by the way, since while it separates, it also joins together the two sides.

The singers in GRÄNSFALL | RAJATAPAUS come from the two countries, Finland and Sweden. We have chosen to draw a boundary line between the Swedish and the Finnish translation of the group name 'Borderline Case', or 'Boundary Fall', but the line can also be interpreted as a barline. Our languages differ significantly from one another, but what about the music? Or performance traditions? Is there a cultural boundary between Finland and Sweden -- and does that boundary separate or join together?

We have started an expedition to find out.