WORLD-CLASS ORCHESTRA COMES TO FINLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME

The NMF Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra, led by Sasha Sitkovetsky—one of the most closely followed violinist-conductors of our time—has captivated audiences in Europe’s concert halls, from London’s Barbican to Copenhagen’s Tivoli and all the way to Vienna’s Konzerthaus. In Naantali Church it will present a programme in which every work is a highlight: Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto resounds with virtuosity and passionate emotion, Mozart’s Serenade is full of irresistibly memorable melodies, and Béla Bartók’s Divertimento blends dreamlike visions with carefree dances.

The British-born Sitkovetsky studied in his youth with Yehudi Menuhin and continues to perform actively as a violin soloist on the world’s concert stages. Increasingly, he is also working as a conductor, leading his orchestra-in-residence based in Poland. In the festival concert, Sitkovetsky appears both as conductor and soloist.
The programme also features music from the orchestra’s home country: Wojciech Kilar gained worldwide recognition by composing the music for the films Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) and The Portrait of a Lady (1996). His tone poem Orawa races in a wild rhythm toward the peaks of the Tatra Mountains—a landmark of hypnotic minimalism that stretches to the very limits, and beyond.

The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra opens the Naantali Music Festival under the baton of Kristiina Poska. A contemporary Estonian work will be heard alongside undisputed masterpieces of the Romantic era: Felix Mendelssohn’s Third Symphony is a semi-programmatic journey through the medieval atmosphere of Scotland. Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto, in turn, weaves a lyrical dialogue between orchestra and soloist. In this work, the world-conquering sensitivity of Barry Douglas is heard at its finest.

The spatial soundscapes of Elis Hallik, the newest rising star of Estonian music, are currently captivating audiences in concert halls across Europe. Her latest work, Transience, depicts a fleeting, barely perceptible moment in time—one that is noticed only once it has already become a memory.

OLLI MUSTONEN’s WORLD PREMIERE “KALEVA” FOR THE EINO LEINO ANNIVERSARY YEAR

Poetry, love, and fleeting dreams – this concert invites us to the very essence of Romanticism. Robert Schumann’s multi-layered song cycle Dichterliebe (A Poet’s Love) is a cornerstone of the lied repertoire and a deep dive into the mechanisms of obsession. Arnold Schoenberg’s early masterpiece Verklärte Nacht, in turn, tells the story of a couple whose nocturnal confrontation makes even the starry sky shimmer. Ernst Chausson’s Poème was inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s intricate tale of love.

Olli Mustonen, too, gives new life to literary classics through his compositions. The newly completed Kaleva is a commissioned work for the Naantali Music Festival, in which Waltteri Torikka’s baritone immerses itself in Finnish mythology in the spirit of Eino Leino’s Helkavirsiä. Taking the stage in the concert are Ioana Cristina Goicea, Elina Vähälä, Lilja Haatainen, Albert Sahlström, Hartmut Rohde, Atte Kilpeläinen, Senja Rummukainen, and Kirill Kozlovsky.

CLUB VIBES

The undisputed leading figure of Finnish jazz, Jukka Perko—once a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s orchestra—returns to the atmosphere of swing’s golden age. Known as a comedian of the concert stage, Perko plays the saxophone often with humor, rarely with solemnity, and always in earnest. The same could be said of the evening’s vocal soloist, Jay Kortehisto: he has earned his stripes in some of Finland’s top bands, including Jean S., Ricky-Tick Big Band, Leningrad Cowboys, and Sunrise Avenue.
When two outspoken performers share the stage, no guarantees can be given. One thing, however, is certain: as the Naantali sun sinks into slumber, the air will pulse with the spirit of old-time jazz.

Radiating endless stage charisma, actor-singer Maria Ylipää brings a stylish programme to Naantali. Timeless classics and newer hits keep the atmosphere soaring and the pulse comfortably elevated.
The band features an All Stars lineup of Finnish music: on guitar, “the Jimi Hendrix of Finland,” Marzi Nyman; on accordion, Niko Kumpuvaara, who has repeatedly pushed the limits of the instrument; and on bass, Ville Herrala, whose résumé is among the longest in the Northern Hemisphere.
This musical treat is enjoyed alongside a three-course menu designed by the master chef of Kaivohuone.

6.6. ACCORDION ECSTASY

Janne Valkeajoki has captivated both critics and audiences by playing the accordion like a conductor leading an orchestra. All the pieces in the concert trace their roots back to France. The music of Jean-Philippe Rameau—favorite composer of the Sun King and ceremonial master of the court of Versailles—sounds astonishingly beautiful on the accordion. Valkeajoki’s arrangements received unreserved praise even from The New York Times, which placed his latest album on its list of the best recordings of 2024. Now they can be heard live in Rymättylä Church.

7.6. THE SECRET SIBELIUS

With his tone poems and symphonies, Jean Sibelius gave concert-hall-sized expression to a Finland searching for its identity. A different story resonates in his intimate chamber works. A different story unfolds in the intimate chamber works: the central figure is no longer an entire nation, but a deeply sensitive artist and human being whose most profound emotions are reserved for the intimacy of the salon.

In his early Piano Sonata, Sibelius portrays the grand deeds of a Romantic hero, while the Four Pieces, Op. 74, surrender to aphoristic moments of inspiration. The stormy Malinconia for cello and piano was composed in the midst of a terrible family tragedy, whereas the Lovisa Trio echoes with memories of youthful summers in seaside cottage landscapes. Among those delivering the concert’s outstanding performances are the Finnish cello superstar Senja Rummukainen and Barry Douglas.

STRING ACADEMY AND THE STARS OF TOMORROW

Since 2009, the String Academy has brought together the country’s most talented young violinists, cellists, and violists. At the same time, it serves as a springboard for the future leading names of Finnish string music. In the Naantali Music Festival’s popular Stars of the Future concerts on 8 June and 12 June, today’s most promising students step into the spotlight, performing a selection of works they have refined to concert level over the past year.
For audiences, this offers a rare opportunity to witness the phenomenal skill and emotionally charged interpretations of tomorrow’s stars already today. These musicians will soon be heard on the major stages of Finland and around the world.

NEW: PROMENADE CONCERTS IN THE OLD TOWN

The new promedane concert combines an idyllic stroll, fascinating stories, and three unique mini-concerts—all in one unforgettable summer day.

Guided by a tour guide, the journey leads through the beautiful lanes of Naantali while hearing stories about the musical history of the old town. Along the way, there will be stops to enjoy three mini-concerts (approx. 20 minutes each), featuring young musicians from the Turku Arts Academy and the Finnish Brass Academy.
Two of the concert venues are true highlights of the tour: private courtyards and hidden gardens that are opened to the public only on this occasion. The third stop takes place in the atmospheric setting of a café, where the concert is enjoyed together with a celebratory drink and a small savoury bite. The refreshments are included in the ticket price.
The walking distance during the tour is a maximum of 2 km. The promenade concerts are organised in cooperation with the City of Naantali Tourism, Naantali Guides, and the Naantali Book Festival.

TUE 9.6. MOZART & MYSTICS

W. A. Mozart, the eternal child prodigy and irrepressible rascal, also knew how to strike the most sensitive chords of the human mind when needed. While the famous Larghetto of the Clarinet Quintet still smiles shyly through tears, the String Quintet burrows toward the deepest layers of the soul. In the words of Pyotr Tchaikovsky: “No one else has been able to convey in music such touching, resigned, and desolate sorrow.”

The Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov uses klezmer and tango to create an echo chamber for existential questions. The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind is a fascinating musical narrative about the French mystic rabbi whose writings became central teachings of Kabbalah. In Croce is a key work by Sofia Gubaidulina, who passed away in 2025. In the duo for cello and accordion, the earthly and the heavenly intersect on a journey toward a higher level of spirituality. On stage will be RSO principal clarinetist Christoffer Sundqvist, Vienna-based violinist Ioana Cristina Goicea, violist Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic, and the grand old gentleman of the cello, Arto Noras.

WED 10.6. CELEBRATION: RALF GOTHÓNI 80

The Grand Old Man of the piano and the inexhaustible driving force of the Naantali Music Festival, Ralf Gothóni, celebrates his 80th birthday. The stage will be filled with time-tested showpieces chosen by Gothóni himself, along with old friends and young talents.

Alfred Schnittke provoked puritans by crossing Baroque traditions with modernism. The death of his mother casts its shadow over his Piano Quintet: a masterpiece brimming with piercing madness and endless surprises, an emotional rollercoaster where dreams and ghosts merge in surreal confusion. In complete contrast stands W. A. Mozart’s Piano Quartet, one of the crowning achievements of Classical chamber music.

With his immensely popular Piano Quintet, Antonín Dvořák joined the honorary gallery of Romantic composers alongside Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms. Combining innate drama with Bohemian folk rhythms, this delightful work has become one of Gothóni’s trademarks, where decades of experience speak for themselves.

CHILDRENS MUSIC FESTIVAL 6.-7.6.2026

The Children’s Music Festival is an integral part of the Naantali Music Festival. On Saturday, 6 June, a family park celebration will be held in Kirkkopuisto in cooperation with Save the Children Naantali, Naantali’s culture and sports services and museums, Casa Haartman, OP Varsinais-Suomi, Finnlines, and Ahola Transport. The park event will feature musical performances for children, magic shows, hobby horse riding, and fun physical challenges to enjoy together.
On Sunday, 7 June, traditional activities and crafts will be organised at the Naantali Museum and Casa Haartman.

TIINALLE – Concert on 22 February 2026 at 5 pm, Naantali Church

The Naantali Music Festival remembers with gratitude and longing its long-serving CEO, Tiina Tunturi. A memorial concert will be held at Naantali Church on Sunday, 22 February 2026 at 5 pm, featuring Elina Vähälä, Arto Noras, and Juhani Lagerspetz.
For the concert, the artists have chosen Schubert’s Trio, a work that reflects Tiina’s bright and warm-hearted personality as well as her way of carrying out her life’s work.

“Her bright, warm, joyful, and endlessly energetic personality always radiated a sense of well-being, like the sun of Naantali. Tiina’s tremendous work as CEO of the Naantali Music Festival is the foundation on which the festival still stands today. I am beyond grateful for all those years we shared in Naantali—as an artist, one always felt most warmly welcome,” says Elina Vähälä.

Half of the proceeds from the programme booklet of the Tiinalle! concert will be directed to marine conservation through the John Nurminen Foundation.

The mission of the John Nurminen Foundation is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations. With donated funds, the foundation carries out effective work to reduce eutrophication, protect marine nature, and strengthen people’s relationship with the sea.

Read more:

www.naantalinmusiikkijuhlat.fi