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Get ready for a truly unique experience as the fearless, genre-defying visionary Becca Stevens joins forces with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra in these three concerts!

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Becca Stevens is a musical powerhouse. In her hands, folk, indie-pop, and jazz harmonies intertwine into a magical and hypnotic whole. Stevens' intimate compositions and layered rhythms will come to life like never before, reimagined through vibrant big band arrangements tailored specifically for this concert series and brought to the stage by UMO's masterful interpretation. Whether you are a passionate jazz enthusiast, a fan of indie-folk, or a seeker of larger-than-life musical experiences, this is a night you don't want to miss!

Conducted by Teemu Takanen.

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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Norppa is a fresh jazz ensemble that, in the spirit of the Jazz in Finland 100 anniversary year, performs a diverse selection of Finnish compositions from both earlier generations and the band’s own members. Combining tradition and the present day, the group brings together swing, playfulness and a touch of seal-like relaxation.

Norppa also highlights a gem of Finnish-American jazz history by performing When Your Lover Has Gone, composed by Finnish-American musician Einar Swan. The song has been interpreted by legendary artists including Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra.

The ensemble’s trombonist Kasperi Sarikoski has performed with numerous groups both in Finland and abroad and works full-time as Principal Trombone of the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. Sonja Kaipainen is a versatile and expressive pianist who leads her own trio and performs, among others, with Timo Kämäräinen’s band. Bassist Ape Anttila is active across the jazz field as a musician, composer, producer and educator, and has played with groups such as the Lenni-Kalle Taipale Group and the cult-favorite Quartet Coyote. Drummer Joonatan Naumanen is an emerging jazz talent who captivated audiences with his performance at the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra & Metropolia New Talents Concert in January 2026.

Kasperi Sarikoski – trombone
Sonja Kaipainen – piano
Ape Anttila – bass
Joonatan Naumanen – drums

In Helsinki, the Norppa concert will be followed by free and open jam sessions for musicians. The jam repertoire includes, among others, the following tunes: Can’t We Be Friends, Fine and Dandy, Willow Weep for Me, Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise, Sonnymoon for Two, Manhã de Carnaval, C Jam Blues, Tenor Madness, Misty and Cantaloupe Island.

This concert is part of the Jazz in Finland 100 anniversary program and is included in the Jamiluokka project, a collaborative initiative of the Finnish Jazz Federation, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Music), the Jazz Music Degree Programme of the Sibelius Academy at the University of the Arts Helsinki and the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. The project is supported by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation.

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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The Sibis Alumni Big Band will perform at the DIG. 2026 festival under the direction of Ville Vannemaa.

Conductor Ville Vannemaa faces a nearly impossible task. He has promised to compile the best pieces from the Sibis Jazz Alumni Big Band's vast repertoire—spanning from 1983 to the present—for this concert. The concert will feature rare gems, classics of Finnish big band music, and compositions by new, young artists. Once again, the Alumni Big Band consists of Finland's leading musicians, as well as teachers and students from the jazz music department.

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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 Tickets 29 euroa

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

Open event

 Tickets 29 euroa

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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The Sibis Jazz Ensemble and Selma Savolainen will perform at the DIG. 2026 festival.

Selma Savolainen, who released her stunning new album "in the shade" in May, will lead the Sibis Jazz Ensemble on Thursday evening with her vocals and music. The concert will feature Savolainen's work—music and profound lyrics —which, according to Harri Uusitorppa of Helsingin Sanomat, could be described as follows: "In Savolainen's music, jazz is more of a way of working or an attitude—a metaphor for freedom and risk-taking, a motif and an alibi for a voice that bends to many emotional states."

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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Antti Sarpila and the Sibis Jazz Ensemble will perform at the DIG. 2026 festival. The ever-charismatic and swinging Antti Sarpila, together with the Sibis Jazz Ensemble, takes the audience on a rhythmic journey through the history of jazz, starting from its very beginnings. Between songs, Antti will also share brief historical insights and introductions to the pieces being performed.

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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OCTOBER UMO CLUB: NEW CONDUCTOR AND PROGRAMME, SAME SOLIST! 

Conductor-composer-pianist Christian Elsässer’s guest appearance with UMO has been cancelled. The Argentine-born composer, pianist, and conductor Guillermo Klein – who worked as UMO’s Artistic Partner from 2020 to 2021 – will step in as the replacement conductor.

For this concert Klein curates a program of his own music, highlighting UMO’s own soloists alongside the Norwegian guitar virtuoso Lage Lund, who is making his debut as a soloist with this orchestra. Klein also arranges two of Lund's compositions for this special ensemble.

The composer, pianist and conductor Guillermo Klein (b. 1969) was born in Buenos Aires in Argentina. He studied in the United States and is currently based in New York. Klein is a global jazz persona with a versatile musical background, ranging from classical education to rock and a degree in jazz, complemented by Latino influences. Klein has worked with several large orchestras, including hr-Bigband and the Metropole Orchestra. He also leads his own group, Los Guachos.

Lage Lund (b. 1977) is recognized as one of the most esteemed jazz guitarists and composers of his generation. Originally from Norway and now based in New York City, Lund is known for a distinctive technique that is always at the service of the music. He rose to international prominence after winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition in 2005. Since then, he has been a creative force in the genre, releasing several critically acclaimed albums and collaborating with jazz luminaries such as Maria Schneider and Melissa Aldana. Lund’s adventurous music is both timeless and uncompromisingly modern. www.lagelund.com

The duration is about 75 minutes, without interval. No age limit.

In addition to concert-specific tickets, you can also buy a serial ticket covering the three club evenings of the autumn season.

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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Free entry

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Jazz for lunch – yes please! The Savoy Theatre’s and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s much-anticipated lunch concerts continue in the autumn season of 2026! The free concert tickets can be reserved from Thursday 8th October at 3 pm at the Savoy Theatre and Lippu.fi, see below for more detailed instructions.

The woodwind specialist Max Zenger introduces listeners to the unique world of American jazz as his quartet interprets the music of Jimmy Giuffre 3 and the album of the same name released in 1957. Zenger himself takes on the role of Giuffre, playing baritone saxophone and clarinet, accompanied on stage by guitarist Rene Willman as Jim Hall and bassist Filemon von Numers as Ralph Peña. Drummer Mikko Hassinen brings a special touch to the concert, having arranged drum parts for Giuffre’s music and expanding the trio into a quartet.

Giuffre's compositions blur the boundaries between jazz, blues, and American folk music. The music, which is almost entirely through-composed, features harmonic and melodic choices that deviate from the norms of its era. The concert offers peaceful and profound soundscapes that will appeal to fans of both jazz and American roots music.

The UMO Helsinki Ensemble is a smaller ensemble formed from the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, whose musicians have extensive careers both with UMO and in their own numerous projects. The concert program has been planned by saxophonist Max Zenger, who also leads the ensemble.

Line-up:

Max Zenger, baritone saxophone, clarinet, and band leader
Rene Willman, guitar
Filemon von Numers, bass

Mikko Hassinen, drums

Please note! The concert will be held in the Savoy Theatre from 12 noon to 1 pm. The admission is free, but we recommend booking in advance at the Savoy Theatre box office (0 €) or Lippu.fi (3 € commission). Max. 2 tickets per customer. For larger group bookings, please contact the Savoy Theatre. Admission only with pre-booked tickets until 11.50 am, after which  remaining seats will be released to customers without a pre-booking. Please arrive early as the doors will be closed once the concert has started. The duration of the concert is 1 hour.

Production: Savoy Theatre & UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra

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Free entry

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Tickets 17-44€

Two legends of Finnish jazz come together for a celebratory concert at Savoy Theatre.

Saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen and drummer Reino "Reiska" Laine, both celebrating their 80th birthdays, are among the pioneers of Finnish jazz. The actively performing musicians will celebrate their long and diverse careers in a concert at the Savoy Theatre.

The first half of the concert will feature Reiska Laine Sextet, with Koivistoinen and Laine joined on stage by Jari Perkiömäki (saxophone), Mikko "Gunu" Karjalainen (trumpet), Olli Ahvenlahti (piano), and Filemon von Numers (double bass). The program includes Koivistoinen’s own compositions as well as works by jazz greats such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, also celebrating the centennial year of their births.

After the intermission, the stage will be taken over by the Sibelius Academy Big Band, conducted by Bianca Rantala. Together with Eero Koivistoinen, the ensemble will perform Koivistoinen’s compositions from different decades, as well as his arrangement of John Coltrane’s classic Equinox.

Welcome to celebrate Finnish jazz!

Duration: approximately 2.5 hours, including an intermission.

The stalls section is an over-18 licensed serving area. The balcony is open to all ages and has no alcohol service.

The concert is produced by Savoy Theatre and Helsingin Jazz ry.

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

Open event

 Tickets 29 euroa

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

Open event

 Tickets 29 euroa

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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Sound artist Kadi Vija brings to the stage an intimate and inquisitive work about family, love, and seeing the world from a different perspective. “Tiny Hands Gathering Wonder, The World Becomes Magic” tells the story of Teppo, who was born into a rainbow family – not as a fictional tale of childhood, but as poetry of everyday life, where the world takes shape from a slightly different angle. The album, which received the Jazz Album of the Year award at both the Emma Gala and the Indie Awards, was produced by acclaimed drummer and producer Teppo Mäkynen and released by Tampere-based Mustik Motel Music in October 2025.

Musically, the work moves, in the vein of Radiohead and Björk, through a landscape where experimental electronic art meets indie-influenced sensitivity. Its sound world is layered and atmospheric – like a child’s thought: slightly askew, yet exactly right.

The concert is part of the campaign marking the Jazz in Finland 100.

Photo: Antti Kujala

The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.

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To celebrate the Jazz Finland 100 anniversary year, the Finnish Jazz Federation together with percussionist and band leader Teppo Mäkynen has got together a supergroup for the tour to perform new arrangements of the pearls of Finnish jazz music. This group composed of different generations of musicians uses the sounds and rhythms of electronic music, rhythm 'n' blues and rap in its expression, linking the history of Finnish jazz to modern times. Central to the concert will be the joy of making and experiencing music, bolstered by the band's energetic expression.

Teppo Mäkynen, percussions
Maja Mannila, vocals, keyboard
Timo Lassy, saxophone
Mikko Antila, vibraphone
Kaisa Mäensivu, bass

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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Free entry

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The singer-composer Selma Savolainen has been aptly described as “Saima Harmaja for millennials”. Her music combines profound lyrics with intense jazz. In this programme, the new big band arrangements of Savolainen’s award-winning album Horror Vacui, as well as works composed especially for this concert, bring Savolainen’s voice into the sound of the large orchestra. The programme will also feature material from Savolainen’s much-anticipated album to be released during spring 2026, combining the roughness of 1990s British punk with Brazilian rhythms. This is Savolainen’s debut as soloist with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. The conductor is Mikko Hassinen.

What is the UMO Club? The UMO Club is a different way to experience UMO. The intimate space of the Black Box brings the musicians closer to the audience and the audience closer to the music. The atmosphere is more relaxed, more intimate, and closer to a club gig than a traditional concert. Please note: The venue is configured as a club, meaning that most of the venue is standing room. In addition, there is a very limited number of unnumbered seats in the hall.

The duration is about 75 minutes, without interval. No age limit.

In addition to concert-specific tickets, you can also buy a serial ticket covering the three club evenings of the autumn season.

Single tickets
General ticket 44 €
Pensioners 36 €
Students, Children, Unemployed, Military Personnel 20 €
The ticket price includes the cloakroom fee.

Serial ticket for three clubs
General ticket 117 € (ordinary 132 €)
Pensioners 96 € (ordinary 108 €)
Students, Children, Unemployed, Military Personnel 51 € (ordinary 60 €)
The ticket price includes the cloakroom fee for all three concerts.

Selma Savolainen (b. 1993) is one of the most luminous Finnish jazz vocalists, composers, and bandleaders of her generation. She is renowned for her exceptional ability to blend modern jazz traditions and virtuosic improvisation across genres, ranging from experimental indie hybrids to contemporary classical music. Savolainen’s compositions echo both Nordic melancholy and the vibrant influences of the New York jazz scene. Her acclaimed debut album, Horror Vacui (Whirlwind Recordings, 2023), propelled her to the centre of the Finnish jazz scene and earned her the prestigious Jazz-Emma award. In addition to her own quintet and the vocal ensemble Signe, Savolainen is known for her versatile collaborations at the intersection of various musical styles. Her live performances have received widespread critical acclaim. www.selmasavolainen.com

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra: great achievements and mastery in jazz since 1975! Throughout the decades, UMO has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz. This multi-award-winning ensemble – recipient of the Yrjö and Emma awards and a Grammy nominee – has shared the stage with international jazz legends as well as the brightest stars of the Finnish music scene. With a distinguished discography of over 60 albums, Helsinki’s own “jazz city orchestra” performs across Finland, reaching 35,000 listeners through more than 100 concerts annually. At the heart of UMO is a commitment to new music. The orchestra’s versatile repertoire fearlessly pushes boundaries, from jazz and soulful grooves to classical fusion. www.umohelsinki.fi

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The acclaimed singer and composer Michael Mayo is one of the leading contemporary vocalists of his generation. The collaboration with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and their newly appointed artist-in-residence kicks off with these concerts!

For this first collaboration, Michael Mayo has curated a custom program featuring his personal favourites, reimagined with brand-new big band arrangements.

American singer and composer Michael Mayo (b. 1992) is one of the leading contemporary vocalists of his generation. He has been prominent in jazz circles since his critically acclaimed debut album Bones (2021) and the follow-up, the Grammy-nominated Fly (2024). In his music, he combines elements of jazz, neo-soul and R&B, and he is particularly known for his innovative and versatile vocal style. Mayo was only the third vocalist accepted into the prestigious Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He has collaborated and performed with, among others, Hancock, Jacob Collier, Gretchen Parlato, and Nate Smith.

As artist-in-residence, he will expand UMO’s repertoire and bring new perspectives as well as an extensive network of contacts. He will plan at least four programmes each season and perform  with the orchestra at least twice per concert season. Mayo’s two-year term runs from autumn 2026 to spring 2028.

– I’m genuinely so excited to get the chance to collaborate with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. I’ve had so much music swirling in my ears that I’m excited to be able to bring to life such an incredible ensemble. I think we’re gonna have a really special time together, and I look forward to all the music to come, says Mayo.

On Thursday, 12 November, the Get More Out of the Performance pre-concert discussion, offering a deeper look into the concert programme, will take place at Restaurant Minne at 6:15 PM.

Conductor Ville Vannemaa.

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra: great achievements and mastery in jazz since 1975! Throughout the decades, UMO has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz. This multi-award-winning ensemble – recipient of the Yrjö and Emma awards and a Grammy nominee – has shared the stage with international jazz legends as well as the brightest stars of the Finnish music scene. With a distinguished discography of over 60 albums, Helsinki’s own “jazz city orchestra” performs across Finland, reaching 35,000 listeners through more than 100 concerts annually. At the heart of UMO is a commitment to new music. The orchestra’s versatile repertoire fearlessly pushes boundaries, from jazz and soulful grooves to classical fusion. www.umohelsinki.fi

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Harri Sjöström’s Mother’s Delight – Special Guest: Veli Kujala

Jukka Kääriäinen: guitar and effects
Libero Mureddu: keyboards & electronics
Heikki Nikula: bass clarinet
Harri Sjöström: soprano and sopranino saxophones
Veli Kujala: quarter-tone accordion

Mother’s Delight first performed in 2023, and after that initial concert it was immediately clear that the project should continue as a stable, working ensemble. The quartet’s unusual instrumentation brings together two wind instruments — soprano saxophone and bass clarinet — with two electric polyphonic voices: electric guitar and physically modelled piano. This distinctive setup gives rise to a wide and constantly shifting sonic palette: from Sjöström’s complex yet deeply expressive melodic language, to Nikula’s command of Western contemporary music and extended techniques; from Mureddu’s deconstructed and morphing piano textures, to Kääriäinen’s unique ability to merge distorted noise with fragile micro-sounds.

Aesthetically, the music synthesises the overlapping yet distinct backgrounds of the four musicians. The sonic radicalism of Kääriäinen and Sjöström intertwines with resonances of Western contemporary music shaped by Nikula and Mureddu. Beyond stylistic categories, the core of Mother’s Delight lies in its commitment to depth, openness, and a sense of joyful, unpredictable musical discovery.

Internationally renowned accordion virtuoso and composer Veli Kujala will join Mother’s Delight for an exceptional evening. He is a long time collaborator of Harri Sjöström, as member of the Windows and Mirrors project with Giancarlo Schiaffini and Sergio Armaroli, and is regularly invited to perform at the Soundscapes Festivals. Moreover, he frequently performs with Sjöström as a duo. Kujala is as well member of Libero Mureddu’s bands Hexad and Septad.

Photos: Sakari Puhakka

The concert is part of the Jazz in Finland 100 Anniversary.

The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.

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Two acclaimed and award-winning Finnish jazz musicians come together in a rare saxophone–drums duo. Saxophonist Pauli Lyytinen won the 2024 Jazz Emma Award for his album Lehto / Korpi, while drummer Markku Ounaskari has received both the Emma Award for Jazz Album of the Year in 2010 and the Finnish Jazz Federation’s Yrjö Award in 2014. Their long careers have taken them to countless stages across Europe, Asia and the Americas – now they join forces for a mysterious, captivating and timeless sonic journey.

Photos: Sakari Puhakka

The concert is part of the Jazz in Finland 100 Anniversary.

The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.

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Sold out. 

The critically acclaimed Finnish pop trendsetter Vesta takes the stage with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra! 

The sensitivity of indie pop and the immense power of the big band combine in two special concerts as Vesta’s most beloved songs are arranged for a large 18-piece jazz orchestra. The concert is conducted by Ville Vannemaa, the new chief conductor of the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra.

Concert duration 2h incl. interval. No age limit.

Vesta is among of the foremost singer-songwriters and musical artists of the young generation. She is known for her insightful and socially opinionated lyrics as well as emotive compositions. She reached the top of Finnish pop with her debut album Lohtulauseita in 2018. At the time, Helsingin Sanomat wrote that Vesta is “the best that mainstream Finnish pop has to offer at the moment”. In the Vain Elämää TV programme in 2025, the artist won Finnish hearts with her touching and insightful versions of her colleagues’ songs. In May 2026, Vesta released her latest album Suomi soimaan. During her career, the charismatic artist has, among other prizes, been awarded the Rookie of the Year Emma Prize.

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra: great achievements and mastery in jazz since 1975! Throughout the decades, UMO has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz. This multi-award-winning ensemble – recipient of the Yrjö and Emma awards and a Grammy nominee – has shared the stage with international jazz legends as well as the brightest stars of the Finnish music scene. With a distinguished discography of over 60 albums, Helsinki’s own “jazz city orchestra” performs across Finland, reaching 35,000 listeners through more than 100 concerts annually. At the heart of UMO is a commitment to new music. The orchestra’s versatile repertoire fearlessly pushes boundaries, from jazz and soulful grooves to classical fusion. www.umohelsinki.fi

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Vapaat äänet, celebrating its 30th anniversary this autumn, brings French pianist Bruno Angelini’s Lotus Flowers trio to Finland in November 2026, featuring saxophonists Angelika Niescier and Sakina Abdou.

The lotus flower is a thing of beauty born from the mud, a metaphor for a troubled world. “When this flower blooms in the muddy marsh, the water clears around the stem! The lotus is a symbol of light!”, the late saxophonist Wayne Shorter says in a documentary about his life. This allegory inspired French pianist Bruno Angelini to compose a new repertoire. The resulting pieces pay tribute to the lotus flowers of our history – figures such as Wayne Shorter, Jane Addams, Berta Cáceres and Nelson Mandela, each of whom worked in their own way for the common good. At the heart of Angelini’s compositions are committed, purposeful melodies, interpreted by the pianist and saxophonists Sakina Abdou and Angelika Niescier with raw lyricism and great freedom.

Bruno Angelini is an experienced and highly respected musician on the French jazz scene. Originally from Marseilles and classically trained, the pianist has long led his own ensembles, including the quartet Open Land with violinist Régis Huby, bassist Claude Tchamitchian and drummer Edward Perraud. Over the years, Angelini has performed with musicians including Kenny Wheeler, Hélène Labarrière, Louis Sclavis, Catherine Delaunay, Andrew Cyrille and Reggie Workman. Founded in 2024, the Lotus Flowers trio has received an enthusiastic response and has performed extensively in France, Germany and Austria. The Abalone label released the album *Lotus Flowers* in spring 2025.

Angelika Niescier is an exceptionally versatile musician who for many years has played an active role in shaping the new jazz scene in both Europe and North America. She is an uncompromising artist bursting with energy, mastering a vivid palette of colours with virtuosic technique. Born in Poland, Niescier is based in Cologne. Her collaborators include Joachim Kühn, Tyshawn Sorey, Nicole Mitchell, Kris Davis, Gerry Hemingway, Nasheet Waits, Jim Black, Sylvie Courvoisier, Aki Takase and Soweto Kinch. The multiple award-winning Niescier received the Deutscher Jazzpreis in 2024. In this year’s *DownBeat* Critics Poll, she placed fourth in the Rising Star category.

Sakina Abdou is a versatile artist who began playing jazz and improvised music at the age of 14 with the Muzzix collective in Lille, northern France. While studying saxophone and recorder, she also attended art school. Since 2019, she has devoted herself fully to her career as a musician. Abdou performs in several international ensembles and participates in projects including the Franco-American collaborative programme The Bridge. In 2022, she recorded her first solo album, *Goodbye Ground*, in New York (Relative Pitch Records). Finnish audiences have previously heard her as a member of pianist Eve Risser’s Red Desert Orchestra (2024), and in November 2026 she will return to Finland to perform with the Colombian-French quartet !Ya Voy!.

Bruno Angelini Lotus Flowers
Bruno Angelini: piano, compositions (FR)
Angelika Niescier: alto saxophone (DE)
Sakina Abdou: tenor saxophone (FR)

The YouTube video features excerpts from a concert.

The YouTube video features excerpts from a concert

Photo: Jérôme Presbois

The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.

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Tickets 29 euroa

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

Open event

Tickets 29 euroa

_{In 2026, it will be 100 years since jazz symbolically arrived in Finland with the ship Andania. The year thus marks a historic centenary celebration for Finnish jazz: Jazz in Finland 100. The anniversary highlights Finnish jazz and its artists both in Finland and abroad, celebrating jazz as part of Finland’s cultural heritage. The Jazz in Finland 100 campaign is coordinated by the Finnish Jazz Federation.}

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The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra get together for the most sparkling concert of the Christmas season, where the swing of the big band and the splendour of the symphony orchestra merge into a breathtakingly magnificent whole.

The soloist is American Kate Kortum, one of the most exciting new jazz voices of the moment. Her warm, nuanced and timelessly elegant expression transports the listener straight to the Golden Age of jazz.

Teemu Takanen conducts the evening and weaves together the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, timeless interpretations of jazz and beloved Christmas tunes with these two Helsinki city orchestras.

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra
Teemu Takanen, conductor
Kate Kortum, vocals

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The Nutcracker, the most enchanting jazz fairy tale of Christmas, which sold out several venues in the past years, is coming again! The storyteller is Anna Airola, the music is provided by the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra.

The UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra plays Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s jazz arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, The Nutcracker. Beloved actress Anna Airola brings the story to life and reads the fairy tale written by E.T.A. Hoffmann about the Christmas night adventure of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Note! The fairy tale will be read in Finnish.

Glittering winter forests, an enchanted marzipan castle, toys that miraculously come alive… The Nutcracker Tale is full of magic and exciting twists! The plot of The Nutcracker, one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous and acclaimed ballets, is based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s Christmas story. The ballet was premiered in December 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, and in 1960 Ellington and Strayhorn arranged and recorded their own interpretation of the beloved piece. The jazz adaptation has in recent years become a UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s Christmas tradition, which is now spiced up with a fairy tale.

Let yourself be carried away by the fairy tale – and jazz!

Doors open 30 minutes before the showtime. Duration c. 70 min, no intermission. The concert is suitable for the whole family, but especially with the smallest concertgoers, we recommend preparing for loud volumes with earmuffs or plugs.

Anna Airola (b. 1994) is a popular and award-winning actress hailing from Kokkola. Airola, who graduated from the Theatre Academy in 2022, has been chosen as the Best TV Actress of the Year and awarded with the Kultainen Venla prize for her role as Oona in Yle’s Aikuiset series. Airola, who grew up in a musical family, sings in the Ykspihlajan kino-orkesteri and has played tenor horn as well.

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra: great achievements and mastery in jazz since 1975!Throughout the decades, UMO has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz. This multi-award-winning ensemble – recipient of the Yrjö and Emma awards and a Grammy nominee – has shared the stage with international jazz legends as well as the brightest stars of the Finnish music scene. With a distinguished discography of over 60 albums, Helsinki’s own “jazz city orchestra” performs across Finland, reaching 35,000 listeners through more than 100 concerts annually. At the heart of UMO is a commitment to new music. The orchestra’s versatile repertoire fearlessly pushes boundaries, from jazz and soulful grooves to classical fusion. www.umohelsinki.fi

Open event

The Nutcracker, the most enchanting jazz fairy tale of Christmas, which sold out several venues in the past years, is coming again! The storyteller is Anna Airola, the music is provided by the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra.

The UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra plays Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s jazz arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, The Nutcracker. Beloved actress Anna Airola brings the story to life and reads the fairy tale written by E.T.A. Hoffmann about the Christmas night adventure of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Note! The fairy tale will be read in Finnish.

Glittering winter forests, an enchanted marzipan castle, toys that miraculously come alive… The Nutcracker Tale is full of magic and exciting twists! The plot of The Nutcracker, one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous and acclaimed ballets, is based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s Christmas story. The ballet was premiered in December 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, and in 1960 Ellington and Strayhorn arranged and recorded their own interpretation of the beloved piece. The jazz adaptation has in recent years become a UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s Christmas tradition, which is now spiced up with a fairy tale.

Let yourself be carried away by the fairy tale – and jazz!

Doors open 30 minutes before the showtime. Duration c. 70 min, no intermission. The concert is suitable for the whole family, but especially with the smallest concertgoers, we recommend preparing for loud volumes with earmuffs or plugs.

Anna Airola (b. 1994) is a popular and award-winning actress hailing from Kokkola. Airola, who graduated from the Theatre Academy in 2022, has been chosen as the Best TV Actress of the Year and awarded with the Kultainen Venla prize for her role as Oona in Yle’s Aikuiset series. Airola, who grew up in a musical family, sings in the Ykspihlajan kino-orkesteri and has played tenor horn as well.

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra: great achievements and mastery in jazz since 1975!Throughout the decades, UMO has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz. This multi-award-winning ensemble – recipient of the Yrjö and Emma awards and a Grammy nominee – has shared the stage with international jazz legends as well as the brightest stars of the Finnish music scene. With a distinguished discography of over 60 albums, Helsinki’s own “jazz city orchestra” performs across Finland, reaching 35,000 listeners through more than 100 concerts annually. At the heart of UMO is a commitment to new music. The orchestra’s versatile repertoire fearlessly pushes boundaries, from jazz and soulful grooves to classical fusion. www.umohelsinki.fi

Open event