BOREALLAS / schedule
Borealis in the Lower Foyer of the Music Centre
(other venues are listed separately)
WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
Lower Foyer:
18:00 Opening of the Aria Borealis Competition
18:45 Presentation of the Baroque Singing Super Autumn
THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER 2026
Lower Foyer:
9:00–15:00 Open rehearsal of the Aria Borealis Competition ***
16:30 Choir Quarter-Hour / Folk Music Ensemble of the Sibelius Academy Department of Folk Music
16:45 Choir Quarter-Hour / All 4 Voices (Helsinki Conservatory Youth Mixed Choir)
Ritarihuone (House of the Nobility):
17:00 Guided city walk from Varsapuistikko to Ritarihuone: Frozen Music / Juhani Styrman (see additional information and fee below)
18:15 Concert introduction / Glow of the Evening concert
19:00 Concert: Glow of the Evening / Akateeminen laulu
– Concert in the Choral Music Concert Series, see additional information and tickets
FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2026
Auditorium:
12:00 Docentship Lecture / Harpsichordist, D.Mus., Lecturer Assi Karttunen
14:00 Discussion: Everything You Wanted to Ask a Promoter / Veerle Declerck, Artistic Coordinator (Concertgebouw Brugge)
15:00 Discussion: Julia Kaiser, Deutschlandradio
Lower Foyer:
15:30 Open rehearsal / Choral conducting practice choir of the Department of Church Music **
16:00 A Thousand Violins of the King / upper strings of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta and Finnish National Opera Orchestra
16:30 Choir Quarter-Hour / Choral conducting practice choir of the Department of Church Music
16:45 Räpätätiivi TBC
17:30 Choir Quarter-Hour / Finnish-German Choir TBC
17:45 Work presentation: Bländad av död och skärlek / Vasa Baroque (Kajsa Dahlbäck, soprano, and Henrik Sandås, bandoneon)
18:30–22:00 ARIA BOREALIS SEMI-FINAL
Paavo
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2026
Huopalahti Church:
11:00–14:00 TBC EAR-ly Early Music Ensemble Competition Final Concert / organised by NORDEM
Lower Foyer:
11:00 Baroque dance performance / La Porte du Temps & advanced students of Balletto School
11:30 Interview: How Does Class Affect Opera? / Marissa Mehr, Henna Tanskanen (interviewer)
12:30 Choir Quarter-Hour
12:45 Panel: Opera Differently / Henna Tanskanen, Siljamari Heikinheimo, et al.
13:30 Performances by masterclass participants / instrumental ensembles and voice students of the Sibelius Academy
14:00 Work presentation: Calisto / Henna Tanskanen
14:15 Lecture: Female Desire in Opera / Siljamari Heikinheimo, Marianna Henriksson
15:00 Performances by masterclass participants / instrumental ensembles and voice students of the Sibelius Academy
15:30 Work presentation and music: Sieluttaret / Siljamari Heikinheimo, Marianna Henriksson
16:00 Panel: Censored Opera / Vera Plosila, Matias Häkkinen, Debi Wong (Vancouver), et al.
17:00 Panel: The Minuet in Folk Dance and Baroque Dance / Petri Hoppu, Saana Kujala, et al.
17:45 Try Baroque Dance Steps (minuet, etc.) / Petri Myllynen and Finnish Baroque Orchestra
18:45 Try Folk Dance Steps (minuet) / Nordic Dance & Brage, Saana Kujala et al.
19:45 Jam Quarter-Hour
20:00 EAR-ly Early Music Ensemble Competition Award Ceremony
Organo:
15:00–16:00 Workshop: Tune Your Baroque Opera / Marissa Mehr
(continues as a self-directed activity in the Lower Foyer throughout the rest of the evening and on Sunday)
16:00–17:00 Improvised Opera Performance / Improa! – Mia Heikkinen, Jenni Lättilä, Mikko Helenius
17:00–18:00 Pilates / Tommi Hyytinen
SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 2026
Lower Foyer:
Ongoing: Tune Your Baroque Opera
Ongoing: Sheet Music Showcase
14:00 Choir Quarter-Hour
14:15 Lecture and music: A Celebration of the Lied – Bellman Society 50 Years / Pentti Hildén
14:30 Presentation: Sheet Music Showcase / SULASOL
14:45 Lecture and music: The Sibelius Academy Department of Church Music at 75 / Jani Sivén TBC
15:00 Choir Quarter-Hour
15:15 Presentation: Gems of Nordic Cooperation / Pohjola Norden: Esko Clarke-Sario
15:30 Panel: Associations for Early Music in the Spotlight (REMA, Svamuli, NORDEM) / Veerle Declerck, Johannes Rantanen, Peter Pontvik, et al.
16:00 Musical performances: singers from Emma Kirkby’s masterclass (Aria Borealis artists from the online preliminary rounds)
Main Foyer:
17:00 FiBO presents: upcoming repertoire and networking
Announcement of the community art poetry project during the interval of the final
Concert Hall:
18:00–21:30 ARIA BOREALIS FINAL AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS
8 winning singers, Finnish Baroque Orchestra, 3D Choir
OTHER
Masterclasses for students / Emma Kirkby, Justin Doyle
Masterclass for successful online participants in the Aria Borealis Competition / Emma Kirkby
Baroque course for the upper strings of symphony orchestras: A Thousand Violins of the King
Programme planning / “bubble coordinator”: Laura Kajander
