The Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, which concluded on Saturday, met its goals – the festival recorded over 22,900 concert visits and ticket revenue exceeded the budgeted €500,000.

“We’ve been especially delighted by how both the audience and performers found the program interesting and, best of all, thought-provoking. The atmosphere throughout the festival was incredibly positive and sunny – despite the heat, or perhaps because of it!” rejoiced the festival’s artistic directors Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen.

This summer’s theme was Nordic Utopia, which explored the unique aspects of Nordic culture, lifestyle, mindset, and climate, while also highlighting strong international connections and necessary global interaction. The 14-day festival program included 57 ticketed concerts, 23 free events, and two art exhibitions.

The festival featured four world premieres. The composer-in-residence was Danish artist Josefine Opsahl, whose commissioned piano trio HYPERTOPIA UNDONE was performed by Trio Gaspard. Other premieres included the theatrical concert Voces – Inner Voices by Red Nose Company and Meta4, By the Air and Water by composer Olli Moilanen interpreted by accordionist Veli Kujala, and Nordic Utopia composed by Seppo Kantonen, performed by violinist Minna Pensola and double bassist Jani Pensola.

Audience favorites included baritone Waltteri Torikka’s renditions of Merikanto’s songs, Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons paired with nature-themed works by Nordic composers, performances by Miritza Lundberg’s Romani ensemble, and the visit from the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra.

In total, 111 artists performed at the festival. Among the new faces, audience favorites included Red Nose Company actors Timo Ruuskanen and Tuukka Vasama, Danish cellist and composer Josefine Opsahl, the Australian Affinity Quartet, Danish vocal ensemble Theatre of Voices, and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. The music courses held during the festival attracted 79 participants from 13 different countries.

Executive Director Sari Rusanen thanked the entire 250-person support team: “Our artistic directors once again gave us a wonderfully bold challenge, and everyone rose to the occasion.”

2026: Celebrations & Ceremonies

The theme for Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival 2026 is Celebrations & Ceremonies. The festival will celebrate various annual festivities from Easter to May Day, Midsummer, and Christmas, as well as birthdays and anniversaries of composers and artists. One person’s celebration may be another’s ordinary day – even consumerism will be part of the theme.

A significant part of the celebration will be the European Capital of Culture year for Oulu and its 39 neighboring municipalities. Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival will be closely involved and contribute to the Spotlight of Europe theme with three commissioned premieres. Compositions have been commissioned from Olli Mustonen, Krishna Nagaraja, and Cecilia Damström.

The 56th Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival will take place from July 12–25, 2026. The program will be published in January 2026.

A Million-Euro Budget

This year, the festival and its courses operated with a total budget of one million euros. The festival and courses were supported by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland and the City of Kuhmo. Grants were provided by the Kone Foundation and the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. Corporate partners included OP Kuhmo, OP Kainuu, Kainuun Sanomat, Kuhmo Oy, No-Pan Auto Oy, Osuuskauppa Maakunta, and Renforsin Ranta.

More information:
Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, tel. +358 44 544 5162