Wednesday 1.8
15:30 – The Festival Kick-off
The students of the International Master Classes and the Youth Piano Academy perform.
Concert programmeWednesday 1.8
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
Concert programme18.00–18.15 Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in the Kivijärvi Hall at Serlachius Museum Gösta (in Finnish).
Thursday 2.8
12:00 – A Moment with Organ I
Drop by and listen to beautiful organ music at noon on Thursday and Friday!
Aleksanteri Wallius, organ
Concert programmeThursday 2.8
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.
Concert programmeThursday 2.8
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
Concert programme18.00-18.15 Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in the Kivijärvi Hall at Serlachius Museum Gösta (in Finnish)
Friday 3.8
12:00 – A Moment with Organ II
Drop by and listen to beautiful organ music at noon on Thursday and Friday!
Aleksanteri Wallius, organ
Concert programmeFriday 3.8
10.00-13.00 – Jeremy Denk’s Master Class
Jeremy Denk gives a master class at the Kivijärvi-hall.
Concert programmeFriday 3.8
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
Concert programmeFriday 3.8
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
Concert programmeArtistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in the Kivijärvi Hall at Serlachius Museum Gösta (in Finnish) at 16.30–16.45
Saturday 4.8
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!
Concert programmeSaturday 4.8
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”.
Fagerlund, Mozart, Schubert
Concert programmeSaturday 4.8
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
Concert programmeSaturday 4.8
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.
Concert programmeSunday 5.8
10:00 – Sunday Service with Artists
Concert programmeSunday 5.8
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.
Concert programmeSunday 5.8
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
Concert programmeThe Artistic Director Niklas Pokki presents the concert in Finnish at 18.00-18.15 at Serlachius Museum Gösta's Pavilion.