Free concerts featuring rare instruments open Fuuga’s doors to a wider audience

FREE CONCERTS FEATURING RARE INSTRUMENTS OPEN FUUGA’S DOORS TO A WIDER AUDIENCE

1.10.2026

Valuable instruments from the collections of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Norway’s Dextra Musica will meet outstanding musicians at the Fuuga Concert Hall on Sunday 29 November. The Turku Music Festival and Fuuga are presenting the concerts in collaboration with the foundations, and admission is free. Together, the concerts offer 2,600 listeners the opportunity to experience a rare concert series free of charge.

The concerts will feature valuable centuries-old instruments from the collections of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Dextra Musica, as well as Nordic string music. Two concerts will be held at the Fuuga Concert Hall in Turku on Sunday 29 November 2026 at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. The concerts are artistically curated by the violinists Eldbjørg Hemsing and Abel Puustinen, who also perform in the concerts. The foundations’ collaboration will continue in Oslo in January 2027.

The Turku Music Festival is responsible for the local production of the concerts in collaboration with Fuuga. The aim of the partnership is to make high-quality music and the new concert hall as accessible as possible to a wide audience.

“As Fuuga opens its doors, it is important to us that as many people as possible have the opportunity to experience music in its main hall. The afternoon concert brings together folk songs from the Finnish archipelago and Nordic string music, while the evening concert celebrates youthful boldness and the joy of playing through works by Tulindberg, Korngold and Mendelssohn. I hope that new concertgoers will also find their way here. A Sunday matinee could, for example, be the moment when a grandparent brings their grandchild to a concert for the first time. Fuuga will become a shared place when as many people as possible feel that they are welcome to walk through its doors”, says Jussi Merikanto, CEO of the Turku Music Festival.

For Fuuga, the concert series is also an opportunity to introduce the new concert hall’s programme to a wider range of audiences.

“This is an opportunity to experience music of exceptional quality without barriers or a ticket price. It is rare to hear centuries-old instruments played by outstanding musicians, and now everyone has the opportunity to do so. I hope as many people as possible will take advantage of this opportunity”, says Samppa Rinne, Director of Fuuga Concert Hall.

RARE INSTRUMENTS IN THE HANDS OF OUTSTANDING MUSICIANS

The Finnish Cultural Foundation and Dextra Musica hold the most significant collections in their respective countries of valuable instruments loaned to musicians. Their collections include instruments renowned in the world of classical music, including violins made by Antonio Stradivari and Andrea Guarneri.

These centuries-old instruments are unique tools for musicians. At the same time, they are often so valuable that they are beyond the reach of an individual musician, even though a high-quality instrument can have a significant impact on artistic work and the development of an international career.

The Finnish Cultural Foundation and Dextra Musica lend instruments from their collections both to established musicians and to promising young talents. Dextra Musica’s collection comprises nearly 150 instruments, while the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s collection includes around 60. At the Fuuga concerts, audiences will have a rare opportunity to hear these historic instruments played by some of today’s leading musicians.

As part of the concerts, audiences will also have the opportunity to discover Finnish violin making, with the Finnish Violin Makers’ Guild presenting its members and their instruments.

CONCERT INFORMATION

Immeasurably Precious – From Folk Songs to Courtly Dance
Fuuga Concert Hall, Turku
Sunday 29 November 2026 at 2:00 PM
Free admission. Concert tickets (maximum two per person) can be collected from Fuuga’s online store from 9:00 AM on 1 October 2026.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Jussi Merikanto
CEO
Turku Music Festival
040 595 0871
jussi.merikanto@tmj.fi

Samppa Rinne
Director
Fuuga Concert Hall
040 740 1182
samppa.rinne@kulttuuriranta.fi

Free concerts featuring rare instruments open Fuuga’s doors to a wider audience