Ilmajoki Music Festival

8 - 18.6.2023

Ilmajoen Musiikkijuhlat was founded in the year 1975. The operafoundation produces fantastic Finnish operas and concert experiences in Southern Ostrobothnia. The site is placed along the traditional landscape of Kyro river in Ilmajoki. In June 2023 the festival gives the Opera “Armi”, a strong women portrait of Armi Ratia, who founded the famous brand Marimekko. Mezzosoprano Lilli Paasikivi as Armi. The composer is Eeva Kontu, libretto and direction Heta Maanperä.

Kaskinen Music Summer

13.–16.7.2023

Kaskinen Music Summer has been an annual event since 2007 in July. The festival is four to five days long, and during these days there are several chamber music concerts with Finnish and international musicians. The artistic directors of the festival, since 2019, are Anna-Mari Peltonen and Samuli Peltonen. The concerts gather around 600 visitors every year.

Kaustinen Chamber Music Week

19.-27.1.2024

Kaustinen Chamber Music Week is arranged since year 1970. Always in January / February.  The musica repertoire stretches from early baroque to wellknown classics and contemporary music. About 70 pieces have had their world premiere during the weeks. New Artistic Director from 2023 is violaplayer Tiila Kangas. In focus during the coming years will be composer Pehr Henrik Nordgren´s (1944-2008) string quartet production. 

The folkmusic tradition of Kaustinen is special for the region and the combination of classic music and folk music is a strong character for the festival. 

 

The Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra

3.8.2022 - 31.5.2023

The Ostrobothnian Chamber Orhestra (OCO), founded by the Orchestra's Honorary Conductor Juha Kangas in 1972, has been a professional orchestra since 1989. The homogeneous sound and dynamic impact of the Orchestra are a result of years of playing together. Since 2013, Sakari Oramo has served as the Artistic Director of the Orchestra. The new Artistic Director, Malin Broman, will take up her appointment from autumn 2019.

In the year 2022 the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra celebrates its 50th year anniversary with world-famous guests and big productions.

 

Kokkolan SyysKamari

16.-19.8.2023

Kokkolan SyysKamari is a chamber music festival that was founded in 2018. This Festival takes place every year during august and/or september. The artists are the most renowed young finnish talents. One of Kokkolan SyysKamari’s main goals is to bring young virtuosos to enjoy Kokkola’s intimate atmosphere and create unique chamber music experiences from together. Program consists chamber music jewels from baroque era to these very days. Festival’s artistic directors and founders are cellist Antto Tunkkari and double bassist Pauli Pappinen. 

Program: www.kokkolansyyskamari.com

Kokkola Winter Accordion

10.-17.2.2024

Kokkola Winter Accordion is a winter city festival for the whole family in Kokkola and Pietarsaari.
By its nature, the Kokkola Winter Accordion is a holistic cornucopia that takes full advantage of the phenomena in the field of life of our time, utilizing the light and glory of winter and the historical environment of the city.

Korsholm Music Festival

24.7 - 31.7.2024

Korsholm Music Festival was founded 1983 by professor Seppo Kimanen. The chamber music festival is arranged yearly in end of July. Nine days of concerts are arranged with national and international chamber musicianc in the Vaasa region and in UNESCOs world heritage site Kvarken. As artistic directors during the years have been Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Frans Helmersson, Marko Ylönen, John Storgårds, Dima Slobodeniouk, Henri Sigfridsson and latest violinist Cecilia Zilliacus.  Artistic Director for the years 2023 - 2027 is the Finnish cellist Jan-Erik Gustafsson, with his working field around the world. 

Programme: www.korsholmmusicfestival.fi

Lapua Organ Festival

7 - 10.9.2023

In Lapua Cathedral with the biggest organ in Finland, is The International Lapua Organ Festival organized already seven times. The organists come from all parts of the world. The producer is the organ association of Lapua. Artistic Director is organist Jimi Järvinen from Vaasa. The coming autumn 7 - 10th of September the next organ festival is already under planning. The festival is held every second year.

Lohtaja Church Music Festival

26.–30.7.2023

Lohtaja Church Music Festival is arranged for more than 40 years. The aim is to produce musical experiences on a high level within sacred music. The music is also performed according to christian values. The festival normally is arranged end of July. 
The Church music festival is well anchored in the local cultural society and is an easy accessible event with a warm athmosphere. 

The music performed in the festival is based on church music traditions since thousands of years. Artistic director is conductor Juhani Lamminmäki

Jakobstad's Sinfonietta

Jakobstad's Sinfonietta consists of teachers from Musikhuset i Jakobstad and functions as an educational orchestra for the students. Students at Musikhuset's three different levels of education receive a large part of their orchestra and ensemble practice via the Sinfonietta's activities, such as various orchestra and chamber music productions. Through the Sinfonietta, students get the opportunity to play with experienced, professional musicians in various contexts. Jakobstad's Sinfonietta is a flexible unit, which strives to be a central part of Ostrobothnia's everyday culture.

RUSK Chamber Music in Jakobstad

21 - 25.11 2023

RUSK is a chamber music festival held annually in Pietarsaari/Jakobstad, Finland at the end of November. RUSK seeks to reflect the present day and age with its myriad variations and challenges. It is a melting pot in which creativity is unleashed in exotic contexts at the darkest, bleakest time of the northern year. The festival was founded in 2013 by clarinettist Christoffer Sundqvist and composer Sebastian Fagerlund. In 2020 conductor Anna-Maria Helsing was appointed as new artistic director of RUSK.

Schauman Hall

Schauman Hall is a modern and high-quality concert hall suitable for all genres of music and congresses. The venue offers many possibilities for events such as concerts, conferenses and exhibitions.

The concert hall has variable acoustics that can be altered to suit all musical genres, including opera and musical. The adjustable stage and the orchestra pit makes Schauman Hall one of the more unique venues in Ostrobothnia. Schauman Hall seats 361-405. 

Schauman Hall is directly connected to a recording studio, which enables high quality studio and live recordings.

The Seinäjoki City Orchestra

14.9.–12.10.2023

The Seinäjoki City Orchestra was founded in 1936. The orchestra holds its concerts in the acoustics splendid Seinäjoki Hall. Chamber music is a notable feature of the orchestra’s repertoire. The string and wind quintets made up of the orchestra’s nucleus players give frequent concerts of chamber music both classical and contemporary. The full-time members of the orchestra are joined for symphony concerts by professional musicians. In addition to its own chamber music and symphony concerts the orchestra has appeared in different symphony, church, and tangomusic concerts and opera- and theather productions.

Vaasa Baroque

Vasa Baroque association works to offer early musical experineces for the Ostrobothnian audience. The association was founded in 2013 and has yearli extended its activities on a more sustainable ground. Vasa Baroque Festival is held every year in October. During the festival early music on a hight international level is performed together with top artists from all over Europe. Baroque concerts and opera performances are arranged within Ostrobothnia. The ensemble Earthly Angels is part of the assciation that works in the domestic and international market. Their recording from year 2018 was awarded best record of the year by Finnish national Radio in february 2019. 

Vaasa City Orchestra

5.10.–3.11.2023

Regular orchestral concerts in Vaasa date back to 1930, when an Orchestra Society was founded in the town. In 1974, the orchestra became part of the City of Vaasa.

Vaasa City Orchestra comprises 31 musicians. Tomas Djupsjöbacka has been the chief conductor of the orchestra since January 2021. Orchestra’s composer-in-residence is Markus Fagerudd. The orchestra works and performs in the historical Vaasa City Hall, in the center of Vaasa.

In addition to traditional symphonic concerts, the orchestra does concerts with other musical directions, for schools etc. The orchestra frequently collaborates with other neighboring orchestras and summerfestivals. Vaasa Opera Foundation and Vaasa City Theatre as well as since 1999, every third year, arranged the International Jorma Panula Conducting Competition.

Vaasan Kuorofestivaali

18.–21.5.2023

Vaasa Choir Festival is a five-day-long event, an international song and choirfestival open for all choirs and vocal groups. The festival is arranged yearly in mid May. During the festival almost hundred concerts are arranged around the city of Vaasa and in the Vaasa region; singing is hears in churches, concert halls, schools and restaurants.

Vaasa Opera Association - Vaasa Opera choir

14.1.-3.2.2023

Vaasan Oopperayhdistys – Vasa Operaförening is Vasa Opera Choirs own society, that was founded 1956 by operasinger Irma Rewell. Vaasa Opera Choir performs annually at Vaasa City Theatre’s opera productions together with Vaasa City Orchestra. Vasa Opera Choir gives also own classical choir concerts.