Performing the Political Festival 2026
The Performing the Political Festival gathers performances, discussions, and artistic interventions that explore how musicians engage with society and how music-making relates to political, social, and environmental realities.
Introduction
The festival presents artistic and pedagogical work developed within the Performing the Political research project and through the pre-festival dialogue series.
The festival offers:
- Live performances by students, alumni, and guest artists
- Conversations and reflection spaces
- Artistic interventions developed during the research project
- Encounters between musicians, educators, researchers, and the public
Programme
Children’s programme at Alalämpiö
09:30 & 10:30 Folk Music Children’s Performance
Soundwalk 14:00 – 15:00
Soundwalk. Jekaterina Viltsenko. Starting from and returning to Agora
Performing the Political Etkot
Agora 15:00 – 17:00
Order of Appearance:
- Two Black Churches by Shawn E. Okpebholo – Gabriel Kivivuori & Keval Shah
- Electric Guitar Ambient Set – Juho Tuomainen
- Queer Folk Music Ensemble – Havu & Kuisma
- Making Decisions Through Body Percussion (workshop) – Alan da Silva
- Spoken Word Performance – Omotola Adeshina
Blackbox 18:00 – 22:00
Part I 18:00 – 19:50
Order of Appearance:
- Performing the Political – Documentary Screening
- Allegorical Narrative with Accordion Improvisation – Zimu Wang, accordion
- Come scoglio (Fiordiligi) from Così fan tutte (W. A. Mozart) – Iida Nummela, soprano & Ville Pääkkönen, piano
- Dialogue – Niilo Tarnanen & Erika Härö
- Senior Baroque Ensemble – Minna Kangas & Ensemble
- Cinzas da Floresta (Ashes of the Forest) – Loica & Transcultural Ensemble
- Composer Interviews — with Kalevi Aho, Lara Poe, Lauri Supponen and Lotta Wennäkoski – Documentary Screening
- Access Amplified Collective – Sami Kekäläinen, voice, Apeal Paudel, sarod and voice, Aizhan Sultan, voice, Nathan Riki Thomson, double bass
Intermission 19:50 – 20:10
Part II 20:10 – 22:00
Order of Appearance:
- Lukas Stasevskij and Cellomania – Documentary Screening
- Footsteps in an Empty Room (Uno Vesje) & Trois Morceaux (Lili Boulanger, arr. Jacqueline Pollauf) – Saara Valjakka, solo harp
- Opera Performance (Singers & Piano)
- Electroacoustic Improvisation – Trio Kauniskangas / Mannermaa / Mureddu
- Intimate Sounds: Musicians, Social Movements, and the Journey Through Exile – Documentary Screening
- Partytuuri Orchestra
Read more about the Performing the political research project
Contact information for the festival
-
Tuulikki Laes
- University Researcher, Tutkimusinstituutti, Research Institute
Part-time teacher, Sibelius-Akatemian tohtoriohjelma, Sibelius Academy - +358407104373
- tuulikki.laes@uniarts.fi
Introduction
The festival presents artistic and pedagogical work developed within the Performing the Political research project and through the pre-festival dialogue series.
The festival offers:
- Live performances by students, alumni, and guest artists
- Conversations and reflection spaces
- Artistic interventions developed during the research project
- Encounters between musicians, educators, researchers, and the public
Programme
Children’s programme at Alalämpiö
09:30 & 10:30 Folk Music Children’s Performance
Soundwalk 14:00 – 15:00
Soundwalk. Jekaterina Viltsenko. Starting from and returning to Agora
Performing the Political Etkot
Agora 15:00 – 17:00
Order of Appearance:
- Two Black Churches by Shawn E. Okpebholo – Gabriel Kivivuori & Keval Shah
- Electric Guitar Ambient Set – Juho Tuomainen
- Queer Folk Music Ensemble – Havu & Kuisma
- Making Decisions Through Body Percussion (workshop) – Alan da Silva
- Spoken Word Performance – Omotola Adeshina
Blackbox 18:00 – 22:00
Part I 18:00 – 19:50
Order of Appearance:
- Performing the Political – Documentary Screening
- Allegorical Narrative with Accordion Improvisation – Zimu Wang, accordion
- Come scoglio (Fiordiligi) from Così fan tutte (W. A. Mozart) – Iida Nummela, soprano & Ville Pääkkönen, piano
- Dialogue – Niilo Tarnanen & Erika Härö
- Senior Baroque Ensemble – Minna Kangas & Ensemble
- Cinzas da Floresta (Ashes of the Forest) – Loica & Transcultural Ensemble
- Composer Interviews — with Kalevi Aho, Lara Poe, Lauri Supponen and Lotta Wennäkoski – Documentary Screening
- Access Amplified Collective – Sami Kekäläinen, voice, Apeal Paudel, sarod and voice, Aizhan Sultan, voice, Nathan Riki Thomson, double bass
Intermission 19:50 – 20:10
Part II 20:10 – 22:00
Order of Appearance:
- Lukas Stasevskij and Cellomania – Documentary Screening
- Footsteps in an Empty Room (Uno Vesje) & Trois Morceaux (Lili Boulanger, arr. Jacqueline Pollauf) – Saara Valjakka, solo harp
- Opera Performance (Singers & Piano)
- Electroacoustic Improvisation – Trio Kauniskangas / Mannermaa / Mureddu
- Intimate Sounds: Musicians, Social Movements, and the Journey Through Exile – Documentary Screening
- Partytuuri Orchestra
Read more about the Performing the political research project
Contact information for the festival
-
Tuulikki Laes
- University Researcher, Tutkimusinstituutti, Research Institute
Part-time teacher, Sibelius-Akatemian tohtoriohjelma, Sibelius Academy - +358407104373
- tuulikki.laes@uniarts.fi