Jyväskylä Sinfonia Celebrates Its 70th Anniversary with a Joint Concert with Jyväskylä Festival on July 2nd

Jyväskylä Festival, the oldest continuously organized urban festival in the Nordic countries, has always been a platform for bold thinking, culture, and discussion. The opening concert continues this tradition by bridging history, the present, and the future. The concert will feature internationally acclaimed pianist Olli Mustonen as both soloist and conductor. The evening will open with Triptyykki, a composition by Mustonen himself. The program also includes Varjoista laulujen vanhain, a new piece by Aulis Sallinen, who is celebrating his 90th birthday this year. This work is a commissioned piece by four Finnish orchestras and will have its world premiere on February 27, 2025, performed by the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra. The concert will conclude with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”, a nature-inspired masterpiece that transports the audience into a summer landscape of flowing streams, birdsong, and a festive atmosphere.

“Celebrating Jyväskylä Sinfonia’s 70-year journey together with Jyväskylä Festival, which is the same age, felt like a natural choice. The program includes music spanning over 200 years, from classical masterpieces to brand-new compositions. We are a vibrant 70-year-old orchestra that stays relevant while honoring a long tradition in art music. It’s also fitting that our celebration features a 90-year-old composer and a conductor who made his Jyväskylä Festival debut 40 years ago,” says Inka Puhakka, General Manager of Jyväskylä Sinfonia.

“We have been preparing for this anniversary for several years, and it is exciting to finally present our theme year focused on enlightenment. Our opening day's program strongly reflects our long history, and celebrating our 70th anniversary together with Jyväskylä Sinfonia is a great joy for us,” says Festival Manager Kyösti Ylikulju.