Africa is the theme of Riihimäki's summer concerts

The overarching theme of the Riihimäki Summer Concerts 2024-2026 has been geography, and the influence of folk music from different continents on classical music. In 2024, we visited the Balkans with the theme “Danube” and got to know the music of the region very comprehensively and heard a diverse repertoire from Bartók to authentic Romani music.

In 2025, we enjoyed Latin music in a very diverse way: Latin music superstar Pacho Flores visited Riihimäki, offering a diverse repertoire of Venezuelan, Brazilian, Argentine and Caribbean folk music.

In the summer of 2026, the theme is Africa, roots and minorities. Africa is a continent that is relatively unknown to many of us, and it is special in itself because, according to many, human life originated there. Tieto has a program that not only introduces us to African music, but also explores the associations that arise from the name Africa: Roots, minorities, oppressed and the influence of African music on Western music.

The roots are represented by the most important and essential cornerstone of Western classical concert music: Bach. We will hear the hottest rising star of Finnish pianistic music today, Anton Mejia, in one Bach recital.

"Anton Mejias' debut album "The Art of Memory" recorded for Deutsche Grammophon has been a great critical success, and the album is historic in that no Finnish pianist has ever before been able to record Bach for a top record label. That is a very rare honor in general," says artistic director Tuomas Turriago.

Minorities and the oppressed are represented in the concert program by the goal of favoring both female performers and female composers wherever possible. The topic has been on the agenda, and for good reason. Women are still clearly in the minority, especially among the composers performed, and it is our important task to try to promote equality in the long term. The influence of Africa on Western music will be explored, for example, by visiting the jazz side. In addition to Anton Mejias and Maria Ylipää, the summer artist roster includes singers Tommi Hakala, Mari Palo and cellist Beata Antikainen.

An important theme for three years has also been cooperation with the Musical Academy. In 2024, young talents from the Piano and String Academies participated in the concerts, in 2025 the Brass Academy, and now in 2026 the Piano Academy is again the partner.

With its three-year geographical theme, Riihimäki Summer Concerts has sought to draw attention to where the music we hear at concerts comes from, and to deepen the listener's understanding of the roots of our music.

"Music is a much more communal art form that draws holistically from the world around us than we can even imagine. As artistic director, I am satisfied if the Riihimäki concert audience has been able to peek deeper than the surface, to the roots of Western music, as a result of our program choices. Collaboration with young musicians naturally ties into this thinking, because in it we peek into the roots of the music of the future," explains artistic director Tuomas Turriago.

The Riihimäki Summer Concerts production team is also aware that we are living in an ecological crisis. Each of us should strive to meet the challenge of a sustainable way of life that does not harm our planet and ecosystem. Riihimäki Summer Concerts 2026 will strive for a smaller carbon footprint this coming summer.

“Our method is simple, all our artists are Finnish this time, which means we don't create an unnecessary carbon footprint from international flights,” says Executive Director Petri Junna Turriago.

More attention is also being paid to the accessibility of concerts. In the coming years, with the help of a significant grant from the Finnish Cultural Foundation, we will expand the concerts to neighboring municipalities. In 2026, concerts will be organized in Loppisalli, Loppisalli.

Check out the concert program on the Riihimäki Summer Concerts website. (riihimaenkesakonsertit.fi.)

Ticket sales start on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at Lippu.fi. Advance ticket sales at the music institute will open on May 11, 2026.

For more information:

CEO Petri Junna
tel. 050 558 8057

Artistic Director Tuomas Turriago
tel. 050 311 9740