Turku Music Festival invites its audience to be present

Víkingur Ólafsson. Photo: Ari Magg / Deutsche Grammophon

The first concerts of the August festival are now announced. Typical for TMF, the announcement includes both top international artists and domestic highlights. With new artistic director Lauri Porra, the festival will carry the theme “Present”.

The Turku Music Festival (TMF) today 13 January announced its first concerts for the August 2025 festival. The festival will bring Iceland’s top pianist Víkingur Ólafsson to Turku Concert Hall and Brazilian seven-string guitar master Yamandu Costa to Sigyn Hall. Ensemble Gamut!, renowned for its unique music and concert experiences, will perform in Paimio Sanatorium, and the multi-award-winning Lain Huuto choir will be heard in the Akatemiatalo ballroom.

“Together with [Artistic Director] Lauri, we have been working on next August’s programme since I took over as Managing Director in October, and it is a pleasure to be able to tell concert-goers about the first ensembles,” said TMF’s Managing Director Jussi Merikanto. “Together, we are all building a new, sustainable and exciting festival for the cultural life of Turku, without forgetting the traditional.” 

TMF has an artistic director for a long time: composer, bassist and visionary Lauri Porra. Porra started working for TMF last summer, and the August festival will be his first at the Turku Music Festival as a whole. With his new season, Porra has given the festival the theme of Present.

“When the planning for this year’s Turku Music Festival began, one thought emerged strongly: presence. We live in an era where it is easy for each of us to get lost amidst the digital flood of information and constant stimulation. At the same time, we deeply yearn for a connection with ourselves and with one another. This theme of presence, which Turku Music Festival focuses on, offers an opportunity to pause, to be in the moment, and to experience the power of art.

The goal of Turku Music Festival is to be genuinely present – both for the people of Turku and for the audiences visiting the city. We aim to lower the threshold for experiencing music and to create encounters that bring together people from all walks of life. Turku Music Festival is not just for classical music enthusiasts but for anyone who wants to surrender to the unforgettable moments that art can offer. We do not want to think of the right to be present or to enjoy art as a luxury but as a vital necessity for well-being – as an integral part of every person’s life.”

The five concerts now announced are just the start of the August festival, which is known to be spread over the whole month. More will be announced in February.

“We don’t want to reveal everything to the general public just yet. This announcement is a curtain-raiser for the future, and the full August programme will be revealed by February. There will be familiar concerts and venues that audiences love, but also new and out-of-the-box acts”, comments Eveliina Salminen, Head of Sales and Marketing for TMF.

Opening Concert: Víkingur Ólafsson
4.8.2025 at 19:00
Turku Concert Hall
Iceland’s top pianist Víkingur Ólafsson will open the festival with a vision that combines technical mastery with unique repertoire design. His concerts bring classical compositions to life in a new way, bringing the old masters into the present day.

Rector’s Home Concert: Yamandu Costa
8.8.2025 at 18:00
Sigyn Hall
Brazilian seven-string guitar master Yamandu Costa brings warmth and virtuosity to Turku. His music combines Brazilian tradition and modern sensibility to create a unique artistic experience.

Ensemble Gamut!: FLOS
10.8.2025 at 15:00 & 18:00
Paimio Sanatorium
FLOS combines music, illustration and sound art. Vappu Rossi’s real-time art comes to life through the electronic elements of Ensemble Gamut! and Tuomas Norvio. This holistic performance brings to life the stories of Arctic flowers.

Lain Huuto
19.8.2025 at 18:00
Akatemiatalo Banquet Hall
The law students’ choir Lain Huuto offers a shocking combination of the world of law and music. Conducted by Paavo Hyökki, the choir is known for its artistic excellence and unique expression.

Yoga in the Castle: Contrabass Getaway
23.8.2025 at 12:00 & 14:00
Turku Castle

Contrabass Getaway is more than a yoga class. It is a moment away from the everyday, where music and movement merge to create an experience that soothes both body and mind. The low, harmonious tones of the double bass guide you toward deeper relaxation as you follow the instructor in gentle movements and stretches that open up your body.

Eveliina Salminen, Sales and Marketing Manager, Turku Music Festival
eveliina.salminen@tmj.fi / +358 (0)40 524 5531