Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss – Finland

Flutist Livia Schweizer performing last year in Sodankylä old church. Artistic director, conductor and pianist Aku Sorensen.

What happens if you combine Finnish nature and classical music? This is what the group of classical musicians and music lovers who established the Kuusikko soi association set out to discover. Their creation, the Sounds of Luosto festival, will take place for the second time on 27-31 July this summer.

By Ester Laiho | Photos: Kalle Arsalo

The story of Sounds of Luosto dates back to 2018, when conductor and violinist Aku Sorensen was up in Lapland giving a recital. After his performance, he enjoyed dinner with some locals, discussing what a shame it was that another classical music festival had its last run, with no one to carry on the legacy.

The group set out to organise a series of concerts in the area and to go from there, as Sorensen explains: “The idea of a future summer festival was brought up a few times, but it was very much just a twinkle in our eyes: we would start small.”

Fast-forward to the spring of 2022, and Sorensen, now artistic director of the festival, is looking forward to the summer with a new theme and even more concerts and activities lined up. This year’s theme, Stories and Myths, will bring together works from over 40 composers, written on all six inhabited continents and representing tales from cultures all over the world in 17 concerts. The international assortment of acts is set in the beautiful nature of the region of Luosto and Sodankylä, where the festival will be held again this year. Concert venues include the Sodankylä old church and unique outdoor stages, most notably the natural auditorium on Ukko-Luosto.

The setting earned rave reviews from the performers last year. Sorensen convinced the performers to join him to climb to the top of the Luosto fell the first night they arrived. “I will never forget one of our pianists turning to me at the top of the fell, declaring: ‘Well, this festival was already worth it’.” The audiences noted the unique surroundings, too: in the stands of Ukko-Luosto, it is possible to pick blueberries while listening to concerts.

Sorensen explains that locals speak of the Miracle of Luosto. The previous festival had an impeccable track record with good weather. It continued last year, as it will this year: “Last year’s concert started off overcast before the sun burst through the clouds at the peak of Sibelius’s 5th Symphony, accompanied by the poignant birdsong of Siberian jays, which serve as the mascots of our festival. The spirit of the fell looks out for us, and it definitely has a flair for the dramatic.”

Concert goers enjoying a performance in Ukko-Luosto.

Web: luostosoi.fi Facebook: luostosoi Instagram: @luostosoi

Photo: Krista Järvelä

The distinctive playing style and technique of the village of Kaustinen have existed for over 250 years.

Good things come in small packages… For the village of Kaustinen, that certainly rings true. With only 4,300 inhabitants, the village transforms itself every summer, as tens of thousands of visitors flock there to enjoy ‘the happiest days of summer’ at Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Risto Savolainen

For over four centuries, the tunes of traditional folk music have flowed through the streets of Kaustinen, located in Finland’s central Ostrobothnia. The village is known for its longstanding fiddle tradition, and most of Kaustinen’s inhabitants and the neighbouring communities consider folk music an integral aspect of their identity.

In December 2021, Kaustinen’s fiddle playing was inscribed into UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. “Our distinctive playing style and technique have existed for over 250 years. Music runs in our blood; it gets passed down through families,” says Kaustinen Folk Music Festival’s executive director, Valtteri Valo.

From 11 to 17 July, the village of Kaustinen will go through a transformation – as it has done every summer since 1968. The village has 4,300 inhabitants – but the festival draws in tens of thousands of visitors. “The buzz around the village is tangible. It’s an incredibly vibrant festival, with guests and performers from all around the globe. We see it as an immeasurable richness to our village,” says Valo.

The festival is one of the most important folk music events in Europe. Among the performers are some big names, including world-renowned Sámi artist Mari Boine, as well as Finnish artists and local talent from Kaustinen. “Our festival treats everyone equally. The performers include seasoned professionals as well as hobbyists who spend all year practising to perform at the festival,” Valo explains. The festival prides itself on being an event for the whole family. The performances include a special kids’ programme and several child performers, as well as a playground for those in need of additional entertainment. “The spirit of fiddling is still very much alive in our village today. We provide a fantastic setting and a great atmosphere for people to enjoy world-class entertainment. There’s plenty of time for jamming around the clock,” Valo concludes.

Photo: Arto Kuorikoski

Web: www.kaustinen.net

The four summery jazz festivals offer visitors a unique experience in the stunning setting of Finland’s western archipelago.

A newcomer on Finland’s summer festival scene, Archipelago Sea Jazz brings worldclass musicians and music lovers together in a unique setting, combining two new jazz festivals with two well-established ones under the banner of Archipelago Sea Jazz.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Aleks Talve

“We have an exceptional combination of ambitious events programmes and memorable venues,” says Hanna Ikonen, marketing manager at Archipelago Sea Jazz. The festival series includes four summery jazz festivals, located around the charming south-western coast of Finland – and with world-class performances, music lovers will not be disappointed with these gems.

Baltic Jazz Festival kickstarts the series in the ironworks surroundings of Dalsbruk on the Kimito island. Organised annually since 1987, the much-loved festival is a meeting place for internationally renowned musicians and local talent, who offer a balanced mix of different types of jazz. This summer, visitors can travel back in time to the Prohibition Era and experience the extravaganza of the Jazz Age and the thrills of archipelago bootlegging.

Korpo Sea Jazz, on the other hand, is an edgy, modern – and at times experimental – jazz festival. It has been held since 1989 and is located on Korpo’s islands. The festival invites visitors to leave the city behind and experience the rugged beauty of the archipelago, and to get in touch with nature while enjoying great performances.

At the end of July, the urban Turku Sea Jazz will be held by the Aura river, at the Forum Marinum Maritime Centre’s surroundings, with top international artists headlining the event. Visitors will get the chance to delve into amazing culinary experiences, as the festival has partnered up with Turku Food & Wine Festival.

Organised for the second time, Åland Sea Jazz concludes the series of festivals in Mariehamn, Åland. The classy Scandinavian-style programme includes performances from piano virtuoso Vladimir ‘Vova’ Shafranov and one of the top Finnish singers, scat specialist Aili Ikonen.

“Sustainability and the environment are two topics that are close to our hearts, and we bring these values to Archipelago Sea Jazz too,” says Ikonen. The festival series collaborates with the John Nurminen Foundation, whose mission is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations.

“The festivals are packed with top artists and boast an intriguing programme. All four festivals offer visitors a unique experience, and a new way to experience the magic that our archipelago has to offer,” Ikonen concludes.

Baltic Jazz: 8-10 July 2022 Korpo Sea Jazz: 20-24 July 2022 Turku Sea Jazz: 29-30 July 2022 Åland Sea Jazz: 5-6 August 2022

Web: www.archipelagoseajazz.fi

Mänttä Music Festival, the only annual classical piano music festival in Finland, attracts both well-established piano artists and young talents.

By Mari Koskinen

Mänttä is a lively art town in central Finland, known for its cultural heritage and exceptional collections of Finnish art. The festival is held at the prestigious Serlachius Museum Gösta, home to a renowned art collection and many cultural events. “The museum’s concert hall offers the perfect surroundings for the festival with its good acoustics, and it hosts just over 200 spectators, which guarantees an intimate and exclusive experience for the visitors,” explains Anni Pokki, executive director of the festival.

“We are proud to showcase young stars like Seong-Jin Cho and Yulianna Avdeeva, who perform in the finale of the festival,” Pokki continues. “This year, the festival has an emphasis on classical recitals, and we will see, for example, Ian Bostridge and Saskia Giorgini perform Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise.”

There are also returning artists, like Angela Hewitt and Olli Mustonen, coming back to this highly esteemed festival. “In addition to the well-known piano artists, we are proud to present rising Finnish stars, like David Munk-Nielsen and Ossi Tanner, both winners of the Tampere Piano Competition,” Pokki adds.

It’s been a busy period at the ticket office since the start of the ticket sales last month. “It seems that people are craving live classical music after the pandemic, and we are happy to fulfil that wish,” Pokki concludes.

Web: www.mantanmusiikkijuhlat.fi Facebook: Mäntän Musiikkijuhlat –Mänttä Music Festival Instagram: @manttamusicfestival

Pianist Angela Hewitt. Photo: James Katz

Pianist Seong-Jin Cho. Photo: Christoph Köstlin

Serlachius Museum Gösta. Photo: Ville Hautakangas