Artistic Directors
Lilli Maijala
Violist Lilli Maijala, now based in Amsterdam, is a musician with extensive international experience. Her musical journey began in Oulu’s music classes and has since led her to perform as a soloist with nearly all Finnish orchestras and at chamber music festivals around the world. Alongside the core repertoire, Maijala has premiered new viola concertos and recorded for Alba Records. After working as a lecturer in viola at the Sibelius Academy for more than a decade, Maijala was appointed Professor at the Zurich University of the Arts in 2023.
Maijala will serve as Artistic Director of the 2027 Oulu Music Festival alongside pianist, composer and Moog synthesizer artist Kari Ikonen, who will continue in his role. Ikonen is responsible for the festival’s jazz and contemporary music programme, while Maijala oversees the classical music programme.
lillimaijala(at)gmail.com
Kari Ikonen
Pianist-composer-moogist, Master of Music Kari Ikonen is one of the key figures in European jazz & improvised music scene. He is currently active as solo pianist, with Kari Ikonen Trio, duo with Louis Sclavis, duo with Fabrizio Cassol, Quartet Al-Qantara, and with several other Finnish and international bands like Wishamalii, Orchestra Nazionale della Luna, Quartet Ajaton and Trio Toffa. His debut album “Karikko” was awarded with Finland’s Grammy in 2001, and in 2013 he got the Yrjö Award as the Finnish Jazz Musician of the Year.
Mr. Ikonen is also an inventor – the revolutionary Maqiano™ Microtuning System is allowng him and other pianists to explore with the Arabic maqamat and other microtones on acoustic piano.
Kari Ikonen started as the second artistic director of the Oulu Music Festival at the 2024 festival. Ikonen designs the festival's program for rhythm music.
ikonen(at)posteo.com