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History of Oulu Music Festival

This page contains glimpses from along the more than thirty-years long history of Oulu Music Festival. What kind of program has been heard over the years, how the visual appearance of the festival has looked like at different times and how the artistic directors of different times have developed the music festival. Welcome to learn about the history of festival!

Lataa historialehti

Lataa historialehti

Jump to different eras by using the arrow buttons on the sides

Madetoja Week, the predecessor of Oulu Music Festival

The Oulu Music Festival was preceded by a total of seven Madetoja Week events, which were held for the first time in 1984.

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Madetoja Week 1984-1990

From Madetoja Week to Oulu Music Festival

The period of Seppo Kimanen 1991 – 1994

Seppo Kimanen, the founder and long-term director of the Kuhmo Chamber Music, was the first Artistic Director of the Oulu Music Festival. He wanted to keep the basic line of the festival the same as it was in the Madetoja Week, and believed that high-quality musical content and talented artists would create a good spirit for the event, and with it, bring more audience to the concerts.

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Oulu Music Festival 1991

Oulu Music Festival 1992

Oulu Music Festival 1993

Oulu Music Festival 1994

The period of Ismo Sirén 1995 – 2001

Violinist Ismo Sirén, who was already organizing the year 1994 festival together with Seppo Kimanen, acted as the Artistic Director of Oulu Music Festival from 1995 to 2001. Sirén always strived to bring high quality artists with most interesting repertoire to the music festival, within the framework created by a limited budget.

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Oulu Music Festival 1995

Oulu Music Festival 1996

Oulu Music Festival 1997

Oulu Music Festival 1998

Oulu Music Festival 1999

Oulu Music Festival 2000

Oulu Music Festival 2001

The period of Mika Rännäli 2002 – 2008

After Ismo Sirén, Mika Rännäli, a pianist with a background in Oulu and then living in New York, started as the new Artistic Director of Oulu Music Festival. The program of the festivals often included Latin rhythms, and the program was aimed at reaching the widest possible audience.

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Oulu Music Festival 2002

Oulu Music Festival 2003

Oulu Music Festival 2004

Oulu Music Festival 2005

Oulu Music Festival 2006

Oulu Music Festival 2007

Oulu Music Festival 2008

The period of Niko Kumpuvaara 2009 – 2012

In 2009, Niko Kumpuvaara, an accordion artist originally from Oulu, started as the new Artistic Director of Oulu Music Festival. Like his predecessor, he sought to bring together a high-quality program and rising future names to the festival. He also wanted to bring more newer music to the program.

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Oulu Music Festival 2009

Oulu Music Festival 2010

Oulu Music Festival 2011

Oulu Music Festival 2012

The period of Jaakko Kuusisto 2013 – 2021

Violinist, composer and conductor Jaakko Kuusisto started as the new Artistic Director at the 2013 Oulu Music Festival. During his period, the festival's program expanded even further. In addition to concerts, there were international master classes for young talents, in the fields of both classical and rhythm music. 

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Oulu Music Festival 2013

Oulu Music Festival 2014

Oulu Music Festival 2015

Oulu Music Festival 2016

Oulu Music Festival 2017

Oulu Music Festival 2018

Oulu Music Festival 2019

Oulu Music Festival 2020

Oulu Music Festival 2021