Oulunsalo Soi features boldly original concerts
The Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival will take place in the Oulu region August 6–10, 2025. The festival includes ten concerts and an art exhibition. The festival is arranged for the 28th time and the Artistic Director is violist Atte Kilpeläinen.
“I’ve brazenly declared that my goal is to program concerts for Oulunsalo Soi that would be impossible at any other festival,” says Kilpeläinen. “Following that guiding principle, we’ve worked all year, and we’re eagerly awaiting the chance to present the fruits of our labor at the festival.”
The Visual Artist of 2025 is Oulu-based cartoon artist Aapo Kukko. The festival’s visual identity is based on his upcoming graphic novel Punainen Beethoven (Red Beethoven), which delves into the life of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. The exhibition bearing the same name will be on display at the Oulunsalo Library from August 7 to September 26. The exhibition’s opening event will take place on Wednesday, August 6, to kick off the festival, with music by violinist Elina Vähälä and double bassist Maria Krykov.
The overarching theme of the festival is heroism. The opening concert on Wednesday, August 6, in the White Hall of the former County Government House (Lääninhallitustalon valkoinen sali), will explore heroic figures through a rich musical programme ranging from Chopin to J. Karjalainen and from Debussy to David Bowie.
On Friday, August 8, two free concerts are offered. The day begins with a lunchtime concert by young heroes – students from the Oulu Conservatory – at the Theatre Restaurant Aulis. You can start your weekend with Art goes Afterwork at Restaurant Valveen Paljetti, where festival artists take the stage in a relaxed and playful atmosphere.
The festival Friday concludes with an intimate club by EVA trio at RioLive. The trio – vocalist Essi Wuorela, kantele player Anna-Karin Korhonen, and cellist/flutist Vesa Norilo – will perform a fresh and swinging blend of beloved Finnish folk songs and contemporary classics set to Finnish poetry.
EVA trio also presents a family-friendly concert titled The Squirrel, the Finch, and the Little Bird on Saturday, August 9. This children’s concert at Valvesali features fresh arrangements of children’s song classics, performed with two young soloists. It also includes lesser-known children’s and folk songs reimagined by the trio in playful and captivating versions.
Celebrating composer Dmitri Shostakovich
Saturday, August 9, marks exactly 50 years since the death of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Oulunsalo Soi will honor his legacy with two concerts. At the City Hall Banquet Hall, a wide selection of his works will be performed while cartoon artist Aapo Kukko illustrates the concert live. The creation process will be projected on screen, and the finished artworks will be available for viewing and purchase afterward.
The Shostakovich celebration culminates in an open-air concert at the Hupisaaret Open-Air Theatre, in collaboration with the Oulu Symphony. German viola virtuoso Nils Mönkemeyer will serve as both soloist and conductor.
Unconventional Concert Venues
This year, the festival invites audiences to experience music in unusual locations. One such venue is the new Akolan Kuivuri event space in Ii, located on the grounds of Akola Manor. The concert on Thursday, August 7, explores forest biodiversity through sound, scent, and word, with musical interludes complemented by author and freelance journalist Jenni Räinä discussing deforestation.
In the industrial setting of AaltoSiilo in Meri-Toppila, the theme is unfinishedness – reflected in both the music and the venue. Composer Lauri Marjakangas will present his contribution to a musical chain letter that began in June at the Sysmä Suvisoitto Festival and will arrive in Oulunsalo Soi via Rauma Festivo. His task is to pick up from the previous composer and pass the message onward after the festival.
The festival concludes by the water, among boats, as a prelude to Oulu’s 2026 Capital of Culture year. For the first time ever, the boat hall of the Oulu Workers’ Sailing Club at the Oulujoki river delta will serve as a concert venue. The programme includes the Finnish premiere of Sextet for Strings by Olli Mustonen and a fresh arrangement of music by Brahms.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster’s online store, physical outlets, and at the Valve Cultural Center’s ticket office. Programme subject to change.
