Chamber Music Concert: Secret Signs

Friendship and musical inspiration play a central role in the creation of both works of the evening.

Cellist Mstislav Rostropovitš and his wife, soprano Galina Višnevskaja, asked Dmitri Šostakovitšilta for a small joint vocal piece. The composer responded by creating a more extensive work than expected – a cycle of seven romances that has since established itself as a landmark of chamber music.

Accordionist Niko Kumpuvaara , in turn, commissioned a new piece from his friend Marzi Nyman for the ensemble he wished for, combining his accordion with the sound of the Kamus Quartet. The quintet received its world premiere at the Our Festival in 2025. The second movement is dedicated to Eriikka Maalismaa – a beloved, warm-hearted and exceptionally charismatic musician.

Mari Palo, soprano
Anna-Liisa Bezrodny, violin
Heidi Ilmolahti, violin
Emiliano Travasino, viola
Saima Malmivaara, cello
Mika Rännäli, piano
Niko Kumpuvaara, accordion

PROGRAM

Dmitri Šostakovitš (1906-1975): Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok op. 127 (1967)

Marzi Nyman (s. 1979): Quintet for Accordion and String Quartet (2025) 

Duration approx. 1 h (no intermission)

The concert is part of the 2026 Oulu Music Festival.

Tickets

26 € Regular / 18 € Pensioner / 10 € Discount groups

Available through Ticketmaster Finland nationwide. Prices include handling fees. Tickets without handling fees are available from the Valve ticket office. A service fee of €3 per order will be charged for purchases from the Ticketmaster ticket shop, or €1.50 per order when purchasing from the Ticketmaster online store.

A limited number of Kaikukortti-tickets are available.

The concert is part of the Oulu Music Festival’s Chamber Music season ticket series. Oulu Music Festival season tickets are on sale from November 25, 2025 to February 15, 2026.

Ticket Sales Locations

Ticketmaster Finland nationwide
Oulu Sinfonia ticket office, Leevi Madetojan katu 3
Ticket office of Cultural Centre Valve, Hallituskatu 7, Oulu.
At the door one hour before the concert

Accessibility

The accessible entrance is located on the Hallituskatu side of the City Hall. There is a button at the entrance that can be used to open the door. If the door does not open, you can press the info buzzer at the entrance to have it opened for you. The accessible entrance leads to the ground floor (0) of the City Hall. The elevator to other floors of the building is located down a long hallway to the right of the entrance. There is a tactile marking on the floor to guide visually impaired individuals toward the elevator. The elevator doors are 90 cm wide. For more information, please visit the City of Oulu’s website at https://www.ouka.fi/kaupungintalon-esteettomyys.

The organizer reserves the right to make changes.