Concerts

15:30 – The Festival Kick-off

The students of the International Master Classes and the Youth Piano Academy perform.

18:30 – The Opening Concert

Sonja Fräki, known as the protagonist of Kalevi Aho’s piano music, plays the world première of Aho’s 2nd Piano Sonata. She combines the contemporary with beloved works of Beethoven and Brahms.

Sonja Fräki, piano

Aho (première), Beethoven, Brahms

18.00–18.15 Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in the Kivijärvi Hall at Serlachius Museum Gösta (in Finnish).

12:00 – A Moment with Organ I

Drop by and listen to beautiful organ music at noon on Thursday and Friday!

Aleksanteri Wallius, organ

15:00 – The Young Artists of the Year

The Mänttä Music Festival proudly presents the piano stars of the future – students from the Youth Piano Academy and the Sibelius Academy´s Junior Academy.

Mikael Loponen, Arttu Nevala, Joona Uusitalo

Chopin, Medtner, Prokofiev, Skrjabin

18:30 – To the Distant Beloved

Jeremy Denk, one of the most celebrated musicians of his generation, performs in Mänttä for the first time! Denk is known as a dazzling virtuoso and profound musical thinker. He has appeared on all the major stages throughout the world. In 2013 he was awarded with the prestigious MacArthur Genius Fellowship.

Jeremy Denk, piano

Adams, Beethoven, Bizet, Mendelssohn, Schumann

18.00-18.15 Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in the Kivijärvi Hall at Serlachius Museum Gösta (in Finnish)

12:00 – A Moment with Organ II

Drop by and listen to beautiful organ music at noon on Thursday and Friday!

Aleksanteri Wallius, organ

10.00-13.00 – Jeremy Denk’s Master Class

Jeremy Denk gives a master class at the Kivijärvi-hall.

15:00 – Lecture Concert: Kesäillan valssi – Oskar Merikannon pianomusiikkia sanoin ja sävelin (in Finnish)

Folke Gräsbeck’s concert lecture is a kick-off to the 150th birthday celebrations of the famous Finnish composer Oskar Merikanto. The lecture will be held in Finnish.

Folke Gräsbeck, lecturer

17:00 – On Fire!

The win­ner of 4th In­ter­na­tio­nal Maj Lind Pia­no Com­pe­ti­tion char­med the au­dience and the jury with his cha­ris­ma­tic per­so­na­li­ty. The 23-year-old hyper-virtuoso also loves the Finnish language, and has studied it for three years at the Columbia University.

Mackenzie Melemed, piano

Schumann, Rachmaninoff

Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in the Kivijärvi Hall at Serlachius Museum Gösta (in Finnish) at 16.30–16.45

20:00 – Summer Night’s Light – Golden Edition

Young power for 20 years! Piano Desperados, Laura Sippola & Tuki and some surprise performances on the stage!

12:00 – The Feast of the Strings!

Award-winning, internationally acclaimed Kamus String Quartet performs in Mänttä for the first time. The emotionally strong and dramatic repertoire culminates with Schubert’s tragic string quartet “Death and the Maiden”.

Kamus Quartet

Fagerlund, Mozart, Schubert

15:00 – The Gates are open!

One of the most interesting young Finnish pianists, the only European Finalist in the prestigious Maj Lind Piano Competition 2018 Hannu Alasaarela, plays his debut in Mänttä. His colourful and exciting program consists of “The garden of Death” by the Finnish composer, Leevi Madetoja, Dichotomia by Esa-Pekka Salonen, and 3rd Piano Sonata by Chopin.

Hannu Alasaarela, piano

Madetoja, Salonen, Chopin

18:30 – Mänttä Music Festival 20 years! – Musical Gala Dinner

Sound and taste conjugate a special relationship, and now they are presented together. The Artistic Director, Niklas Pokki, has chosen musical repertoire to accentuate the festival dinner menu by the star chef Henry Tikkanen. The musical gala dinner is produced in co-operation with Restaurant Gösta.

10:00 – Sunday Service with Artists

15:00 – Oskar Merikanto 150 years today!

The concert celebrates the 150th birthday of one of the most beloved and performed Finnish composers, Oskar Merikanto. The composer knew the venue, the church of Vilppula, extremely well, since his summer house was nearby. Merikanto even helped to choose the church’s organ. The colourful repertoire consists of Merikanto’s solo piano works and songs.

Johanna Rusanen, soprano

Folke Gräsbeck, piano

In co-operation with the Vilppula Society.

18:30 – Grand Finale – Gustaf Serlachius in Memoriam

Babayan is one of the leading pianists of our time: Hailed for his emotional intensity, bold energy and remarkable levels of color, Sergei Babayan brings a deep understanding and insight to a stylistically diverse repertoire, which includes a performance history of 60 concerts.  Le Devoir from Montreal put it simply: “Sergei Babayan is a genius. Period.”

Sergei Babayan, piano

Pärt, Liszt, Ryabov, Rameau, Chopin, Rachmaninoff

The Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in Finnish at 18.00-18.15 at Serlachius Museum Gösta's Pavilion.