Wednesday 1 October 2025 | 18:00
Savoy & Cellofest: Bachianas Brasileiras
Savoy Theatre, Kasarmikatu 46-48, 00130 Helsinki
The Opening Gala of Cellofest invites the audience on a journey around the world through some of the most influential works in the cello repertoire — from Jean-Baptiste Barrière in 18th-century France to Philip Glass in modern-day East Coast America.
The evening will feature the world premiere of rising Estonian composer Alisson Kruusmaa’s new work Cadenza for Solo Cello, performed by leading cellist Jens Peter Maintz.
In the second half of the concert, soprano Piia Komsi joins the Cellofest Cello Ensemble to perform Noita and Aurinko isäni, a work by Finnish composer Aija Puurtinen. Sung in Sámi language, this powerful piece bridges ancient northern tradition and contemporary expression.
From there, the journey continues across the globe to Brazil with Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras — a series of musical works blending Brazilian folk rhythms with Bach. The iconic No. 5, one of the most beloved pieces of the 20th century, will be the highlight of the Cellofest Opening Gala.
Join Cellofest and Savoy Theatre for a concert that spans time, culture, and continents through the voice of the cello.
Duration c. 2 h (including 30 min intermission)
Date: 1/8/2025
Time: 18:00
Location: Savoy Theatre, Kasarmikatu 46-48, 00130 Helsinki
Tickets available via lippu.fi
Martti Rousi & The Cellofest Cello Ensemble
Jean-Baptiste Barrière: Sonata for 2 cellos in G Major
György Ligeti: Sonata for solo cello, II. Capriccio
Sulkhan Tsintsadze: Chonguri for solo cello
Bright Sheng: Tibetan Dance
Philip Glass: Songs and Poems for Solo Cello, Nos. IV & VII
J.S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007, Menuets I & II
Set by Cellomania
-Interval-
Alisson Kruusmaa: Cadenza for Solo Cello (world premiere)
Aija Puurtinen: ‘Noaiddi‘ & ‘Beaivi Ahcazan‘ (‘The Witch’ & ‘Sun, My Father’) for soprano and five cellos
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1, Part 1 – Embolada for 8 cellos
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 – Aria for soprano and 8 cellos
Duration c. 2 h (including 30 min intermission)
The accessibility of Savoy Theatre meets with the needs of different audience groups. The Savoy Theatre main entrance is equipped with a wheelchair ramp. The cloakroom and ticket office are located in the foyer. Both are fully accessible. The balcony is accessible only by stairs.
Read more about the Savoy Theatre’s accessibility on their website:
Ticket prices 17-54 €. Concessions are available for children, students, pensioners, unemployed, and industry professionals.
Tickets are available from lippu.fi
and from Savoy Theatre’s Box Office Wed-Fri between 15-18 and one hour before the concert starts. Tickets can also be purchased at any Lippupiste point of sale. Tickets for industry professionals are only sold at Savoy Theatre’s Box Office.
Wednesday 1 – Tuesday 7 October 2025 | 12:00
Bach x Oodi
Oodi Central Library, Töölönlahdenkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
1/10 – Suite No. 1: Ärla Hillerud
2/10 – Suite No. 2: Daniel Schultz
3/10 – Suite No. 3: Luka Coetzee
4/10 – Suite No. 4: Beata Antikainen
5/10 – Suite No. 5: Hans Schröck
6/10 – Suite No. 6: Ziyang Zhao
7/10 – Chaconne: Leonardo Chiodo
All Oodi facilities are accessible as particular attention was paid to accessibility when designing the Central Library.
Read more about Oodi’s accessibility on their website.
Wednesday 1 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Ärla Hillerud
Oodi Central Library
Ärla Hillerud plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suite no 1.
Thursday 2 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Daniel Schultz
Oodi Central Library
Daniel Schultz plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suite no 2.
Thursday 2 October 2025 | 13:00–15:30
Cello masterclass with Jens Peter Maintz
Concert Hall, Sibelius Academy, R House, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100 Helsinki
As with every edition of Cellofest, we bring you masterclasses led by some of the world’s most prominent cello pedagogues. This year, we are excited to introduce Jens Peter Maintz, who will be teaching young students from the Sibelius Academy.
Jens Peter Maintz is a highly sought-after chamber musician and dedicated cello teacher. He has performed as a soloist with leading orchestras worldwide, from Berlin to Tokyo.
Since 2006 he has been the principal cellist of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra (by invitation of Claudio Abbado) and since 2004, a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, where his cello class has produced major international competition winners and orchestra leaders.
The masterclasses will be streamed live on our Youtube channel.
The building is accessible via the main entrance on Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu during opening hours. There are lifts to access all levels of the building, and wheelchair accessible seating is available in the halls.
Thursday 2 October 2025 | 16:00-19:00
Cello masterclass with Martti Rousi
Pikkusali, Sibelius Academy R Building, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100 Helsinki
The Artistic Director of Cellofest, one of Finland’s most prominent cellists and an internationally respected pedagogue, Martti Rousi is giving a masterclass on the 2nd day of Cellofest 2025!
After early success at the Turku Cello Competition and a silver medal at the VIII Tchaikovsky Competition, Rousi went on to perform with major orchestras across Europe, Asia, and South Africa, collaborating with conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen and Valery Gergiev.
Alongside his solo career, Rousi is a passionate chamber musician and has been an influential artistic director of several Finnish festivals, including the Turku Music Festival and Sibafest. His teaching and leadership continue to shape the Finnish cello tradition for future generations.
The masterclasses will be streamed live on our YouTube channel.
WATCH THE STREAM
Friday 3 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Luka Coetzee
Oodi Central Library
The winner of the International Paulo Cello Competition 2023, Luka Coetzee, plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suite no 3.
Saturday 4 October 2025 | 10:00-13:00
KAPULUOKKA x CELLOFEST
Concert Hall, Sibelius Academy R Building, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100 Helsinki
The Conductors’ Band of the Sibelius Academy join forces with Cellofest for a unique masterclass, where young conductors and cellists get the chance to work together with an orchestra. The course offers an opportunity to delve into both orchestral conducting and soloistic expression.
The conducting students will be taught by Osmo Vänskä, whose wide-ranging international career has taken him to the world’s leading orchestras and festivals. The cello students will be taught by professors Steven Doane and Martti Rousi
Osmo Vänskä led the collaborative concert with Cellofest and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019, and the same will happen this year on the 8th and 9th of October when Luka Coetzee takes the stage.
Three wonderful cellists will appear as soloists with the Conductors’ Band:
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Flora Välilä, performing Joseph Haydn’s C major Cello Concerto
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Maria Morfin-Venäläinen, performing Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1
- Alexander Tranksmann, performing Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1
The masterclass provides a rare perspective on the collaboration between soloist, orchestra, and conductor while also offering an exceptional opportunity to hear two great works of the cello repertoire in their rehearsal phase.
FREE ENTRY
The building is accessible from the main entrance on Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu during opening hours. The Concert Hall’s ground floor is accessible. Wheelchair accessible seating is available in the hall.
Saturday 4 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Beata Antikainen
Oodi Central Library
Beata Antikainen plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suite no 4.
Saturday 4 October 2025 | 14:00
La Grande Follia
Galerie Donner, Merikatu 1, 00140 Helsinki
Cellofest invites audiences to a unique performance of Opus Duo at Galerie Donner on the 4th of October at 14:00. The duo, formed by by Francisco Berény Domingues (guitar) and Tiago Azevedo e Silva (cello), was established in 2019 and has performed in Paris, Trani, Acquaviva delle Fonti, Florence, Lucerne and in various festivals across Portugal.
With a strong focus on Iberian repertoire, Opus Duo develops programs ranging from the 20th century to the present, collaborating with and commissioning works from Portuguese composers such as Fernando Lapa and Pedro Santos, thereby promoting Portuguese music both nationally and internationally.
At this concert, the duo will perform pieces by Béla Bartók, Fernando Lapa, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and others. What makes this performance truly special is not only the beautiful dialogue between cello and guitar but also its setting: Galerie Donner, an art gallery renowned for 18th-century furniture, silver, and objets d’art.
Galerie Donner, Merikatu 1, 00140 Helsinki
Opus Duo:
Tiago Azevedo e Silva – cello
Francisco Berény Domingues – guitar
- I. Albéniz (1860–1909) – Granada (Serenade)
- Enrique Granados (1867–1916) – Spanish Dance No. 5 “Andaluza” op. 37
- B. Bartók (1881–1945) – Romanian Folk Dances
- Fernando Lapa (1950) – Plural VIII
- Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959) – Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5
- Aria (Cantilena)
- Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) – Nightclub 1960
- Pablo Casals (1876–1973) – Song of the Birds
- R. Abreu (1969) – DeliriUS
- Manuel de Falla (1876–1946) – La vida breve
Tickets 25 € / piece (sis. alv)
Tickets can be bought beforehand via MobilePay or bank transfer, or at the door via MobilePay or cash.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUYING TICKETS (alla suomeksi):
The payment can be made with MobilePay with code 6070ML or by scanning the QR code below.
The name of the money box is “La Grande Follia -konsertti 4.10. | CELLOFEST 2025
After the payment your name and the number of tickets you purchased will be added to the audience list at the door of the event. You can access the concert by saying your name at the door.
In the event that you are purchasing multiple tickets at the same time, please write your name and the amount of tickets as the message of the payment. (for example: Leena Leenanen + 3).
It is possible also to make a bank transfer. In this case, please contact stella.cellofest@gmail.com.
SUOMEKSI:
Lippumaksun voi suorittaa MobilePaylla koodilla 6070ML tai skannaamalla alla olevan QR-koodin.
Lippaan nimi on “La Grande Follia -konsertti 4.10. | CELLOFEST 2025
Maksun jälkeen nimenne ja ostamienne lippujen määrä lisätään tapahtuman yleisölistalle. Konserttiin pääsee kertomalla nimensä ovella.
Siinä tapauksessa, että ostatte useita lippuja samanaikaisesti, pyydämme kirjoittamaan viesti-kenttään nimenne ja lippujen lukumäärän (esim. Leena Leenanen + 3)
Liput on mahdollista myös ostaa tilisiirrolla. Tässä tapauksessa ottakaa yhteys stella.cellofest@gmail.com.
Sunday 5 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Hans Schröck
Oodi Central Library
Hans Schröck plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suite no 5.
Saturday 4 October 2025 | 13:00-16:00
Cello masterclass with Steven Doane
Kultur- och musikskolan Sandels, Gyllenbergsalen, Sandelsinkatu 3, 00260 Helsinki
Cellofest are honoured to welcome Steven Doane as the giver of the fourth and fifth masterclass days.
For over four decades, Steven Doane has been Professor of Cello at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and is also a Visiting Professor and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London. A distinguished performer and teacher, he maintains an active international career as recitalist, chamber musician, and sought-after masterclass artist.
He has appeared as soloist and chamber musician across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and Alice Tully Hall. Doane has collaborated with leading ensembles including the Naumburg Award-winning New Arts Trio, the Los Angeles Piano Quartet, the Endellion Quartet, the Florestan Trio, and the Ying, Pacifica, and Miro Quartets. His discography on the Bridge label includes works by Fauré, Britten, Bridge, and Rachmaninoff, recorded with pianist Barry Snyder.
Sunday 5 October 2025 | 13:30-16:30
Cello masterclass with Steven Doane
Kamarimusiikkisali, Helsingin Konservatorio, Ruoholahdentori 6, 00180 Helsinki
Cellofest are honoured to welcome Steven Doane as the giver of the fourth and fifth masterclass days.
For over four decades, Steven Doane has been Professor of Cello at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and is also a Visiting Professor and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London. A distinguished performer and teacher, he maintains an active international career as recitalist, chamber musician, and sought-after masterclass artist.
He has appeared as soloist and chamber musician across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and Alice Tully Hall. Doane has collaborated with leading ensembles including the Naumburg Award-winning New Arts Trio, the Los Angeles Piano Quartet, the Endellion Quartet, the Florestan Trio, and the Ying, Pacifica, and Miro Quartets. His discography on the Bridge label includes works by Fauré, Britten, Bridge, and Rachmaninoff, recorded with pianist Barry Snyder.
The masterclasses will be streamed live on our YouTube channel.
The upper level is accessible for wheelchair and rollator users. There is space for a few people on both sides of the organ pipes with good visibility and acoustics. The main seating area and stage are on a lower level, accessible by about ten steps (with a handrail).
Ylätasanteelle pääsee pyörätuolilla ja rollaattorilla. Urkupillien molemmin puolin on tilaa muutamalle henkilölle, ja sieltä näkee ja kuulee hyvin. Varsinainen katsomo ja lava ovat alempana, jonne kuljetaan noin kymmenen porrasta (kaide löytyy).
Sunday 5 October 2025 | 18:00
Thomastik Infeld Workshop with Attila Pasztor
Camerata, Helsinki Music Centre
Monday 6 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Ziyang Zhao
Oodi Central Library
Ziyang Zhao plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suite no 6.
Monday 6 October 2025 | 13:00–15:30
Cello masterclass with Jens Peter Maintz
Camerata, Helsinki Music Centre, Mannerheimintie 13 A, 00100 Helsinki
As with every edition of Cellofest, we bring you masterclasses led by some of the world’s most prominent cello pedagogues. This year, we are excited to introduce Jens Peter Maintz, who will be teaching young students from the Sibelius Academy.
Jens Peter Maintz is a highly sought-after chamber musician and dedicated cello teacher. He has performed as a soloist with leading orchestras worldwide, from Berlin to Tokyo.
Since 2006 he has been the principal cellist of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra (by invitation of Claudio Abbado) and since 2004, a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, where his cello class has produced major international competition winners and orchestra leaders.
The masterclasses will be streamed live on our Youtube channel.
The building is accessible via the main entrance on Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu during opening hours. There are lifts to access all levels of the building, and wheelchair accessible seating is available in the halls.
Tuesday 7 October 2025 | 13:30–16:00
Cello masterclass with Jian Wang
Concert Hall, Sibelius Academy R Building, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100 Helsinki
On the 7th of October, Cellofest is proud to present a masterclass led by internationally acclaimed cellist Jian Wang. Known for his deep musicality and wide-ranging career, Jian Wang will be sharing his expertise with talented students from the Sibelius Academy.
Since making his debut at the age of 12 with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Jian Wang has performed with the world’s leading orchestras, from the Berlin Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw to the New York Philharmonic and Orchestre de Paris. He is also a highly respected pedagogue, serving as International Chair of Cello at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Professor at the Shanghai Conservatory.
The masterclasses will be streamed live on our YouTube channel.
Tuesday 7 October 2025 | 12:00
BACH x OODI: Leonardo Chiodo
Oodi Central Library
On the final day of Bach x Oodi 2025 edition, Leonardo Chiodo plays Bach’s Chaconne originally composed for violin.
Tuesday 7 October 2025 | 19:00
Cellofest visits Noise Traffic
Vapaan taiteen tila, Vilhonvuorenkuja 15, 00500 Helsinki
On the 7th of October at 19:00, Cellofest invites audiences to come along and visit Noise Traffic in Vapaan Taiteen Tila. In their own words, Noise Traffic is a site of reflection, a living archive where we find the reality that exists in sites of ontological and performative nature.
This year, Noise Traffic will feature duo SUMU, a collaboration between cellist Emīlija Rozenšteina and sound artist Jekaterina Viltšenko.
For this performance, the duo is presenting their newest composition UTU. The performance is a 45-minute premiere exploring the interplay between cello and electronics in a live, immersive setting. Through the fusion of acoustic and electronic sounds, the piece delves into texture, resonance, and the dynamic relationship between performer and sound.
Listeners are invited to relax into a rich ambience of cello drones, harmonics and textural sounds.
FREE ENTRY
𝙉𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘: 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨
𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨: 5-8 𝙊𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧 2025
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙑𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙖𝙣 𝙏𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙏𝙞𝙡𝙖 – 𝙑𝙞𝙡𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙪𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙠𝙪𝙟𝙖 15, 00500 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞
The future of thousands of lives is currently at stake. People are forced to migrate in the hope of finding a safer place to live. Powerful states advance over people’s lives. Grassroot counterculture emerges more than ever in the fight of human rights, the stability of democracy, and justice. People take to the streets to protest, chant, and turn voice into a tool of collective action.
Noise Traffic emerges from such an urgency. Through creative methodologies, art and research, exhibitions, podcasts, sound art, community projects, and performances, it aims to map out the performativity of social systems that compose the sociopolitical complexities we live in.
This year’s edition focuses on the themes related to the performativity of migration, displacement, buffer zones, noise, and internationalisation, featuring artworks, participatory performances, talks, film screenings, sound art, and workshops by ALOES (FI/NL), Rafaella Constantinou (CY), Daniela Pascual Esparza (FI/ES), Ana Gutieszca (FI/MX), Maryam Dahir Ilmi (SO), Claudia Konyalian (CY), Argyro Nicolaou (US/CY), NO NIIN Magazine (FI), Efi Savvides (CY), Nicolina Stylianou (FI/CY), and Duo UTU (FI).
FREE ENTRY
Wednesday 8 October 2025 | 10-11:30
THE NEXT GENERATION: Concert and panel discussion with young cellists ft. Dr. Guadalupe López-Íñiguez & María Alejandra Conde
Chamber Music Hall, Sibelius Academy R Building, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100 Helsinki
How can teachers best support the next generation of cellists? This Cellofest panel brings together artists, educators, and researchers to explore the joys and challenges of cello pedagogy in a relaxed, conversational setting.
The panel features Venezuelan cellist María Alejandra Conde, conductor of the Children’s Orchestra and cello teacher at Barratt Due Music Institute in Oslo, who combines a versatile performing career with a passion for high-quality artistic experiences for children. She is joined by Spanish researcher and cellist Dr. Guadalupe López-Íñiguez, University Researcher at the Sibelius Academy, whose internationally recognised work bridges music performance, psychology, and pedagogy, with a focus on resilience, creativity, and care in education.
The event will start with a concert by young cellists Aleksandra Tralla, Fabian Broman and Samuel Latonen.
Wednesday 8 October 2025 | 12:00-15:00
Cello masterclass with Erkki Lahesmaa
Kamarimusiikkisali, Sibelius Academy R Building, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100 Helsinki
Cellofest present a masterclass with Erkki Lahesmaa, the Head of Strings and Chamber Music and Lecturer of Cello at the Sibelius Academy. A versatile performer and teacher, Lahesmaa is known both for his interpretations of the classical repertoire and for championing contemporary Finnish music.
The masterclasses will be streamed live on our YouTube channel.
Wednesday 8 October 2025 | 19:00
Valo ja voima – Light and power
Concert Hall, Helsinki Music Centre, Mannerheimintie 13 A, 00100 Helsinki
Osmo Vänskä has been described as a bundle of energy on the podium. Luka Coetzee, winner of the Paulo Cello Competition, returns to perform with the HPO.
Read more at:
https://helsinginkaupunginorkesteri.fi/fi/konsertit/valo-ja-voima
Aulis Sallinen: Symphony No. 1
Edward Elgar: Cello concerto
***intermission***
Charles Ives: Symphony No. 2
Luka Coetzee – cello
Osmo Vänskä – conductor
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra – Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri
Helsinki Music Centre’s accessibility information at:
https://helsinginkaupunginorkesteri.fi/en/helsinki-music-centre
Musiikkitalon saavutettavuustiedot löytyvät osoitteesta:
Thursday 9 October 2025 | 12-15
Cello masterclass with Joona Pulkkinen
Pikkusali, Sibelius Academy R Building, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, 00100
For the final masterclass of Cellofest 2025 we introduce Finnish cellist Joona Pulkkinen.
Joona Pulkkinen is as a soloist, orchestra musician and lecturer, currently teaching in the Sibelius Academy. He has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras, such as the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, Brussel’s La Monnaie Orchestra and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.
Pulkkinen was also selected as an artist for the Classe d’Excellence de Violoncelle program in Paris under the guidance of Gautier Capuçon for the 2015–2016 season.
The masterclass will be streamed on our YouTube channel.
The building is accessible by using the main entrance on Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu during the opening hours of the facilities. The Small Hall is accessible by using the lift. Wheelchair accessible seating is available in the hall.
Wednesday 9 October 2025 | 19:00
Valo ja voima – Light and power
Concert Hall, Helsinki Music Centre, Mannerheimintie 13 A, 00100 Helsinki
Osmo Vänskä has been described as a bundle of energy on the podium. Luka Coetzee, winner of the Paulo Cello Competition, returns to perform with the HPO.
Read more at:
https://helsinginkaupunginorkesteri.fi/fi/konsertit/valo-ja-voima-0
Watch the Stream:
Aulis Sallinen: Symphony No. 1
Edward Elgar: Cello concerto
***intermission***
Charles Ives: Symphony No. 2
Luka Coetzee – cello
Osmo Vänskä – conductor
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra – Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri
Helsinki Music Centre’s accessibility information at:
https://helsinginkaupunginorkesteri.fi/en/helsinki-music-centre
Musiikkitalon saavutettavuustiedot löytyvät osoitteesta: