Organists and Other Performers of Lahti Organ Festival 2025
During the Lahti International Organ Festival 2025, audiences will experience a rich selection of music ranging from classical to jazz and gospel. Among the performers are Finnish masters, rising young talents, and organ virtuosos from around the world.
Discover the performers of the Lahti Organ Festival 2025 below, choose your favorites, and get your tickets now!
Kalle Toivio ja Seeli Toivio
The sibling duo Seeli and Kalle Toivio, originally from Lahti, will perform together for the first time at the Lahti Organ Festival. Seeli Toivio is a cellist and mezzo-soprano, and Kalle Toivio is an organist and pianist. Both hold Doctor of Music degrees — Seeli from the Sibelius Academy and Kalle from the Manhattan School of Music in New York, USA.
Kalle Toivio serves as Director of Music and Organist for the Corpus Christi and Notre Dame Parish (merged in 2023) in New York City. He won an international organ improvisation competition in the U.S. a few years ago, and his improvisations will be featured in the concert — with Seeli occasionally joining in on cello.
In addition to cello, Seeli will also perform as a singer (mezzo-soprano). She was a finalist in the most recent Toivo Kuula Singing Competition and won a special prize.
In this Opening Concert, she will sing and play cello in works by composers such as Armas Järnefelt and Toivo Kuula. The duo will also perform music by Astor Piazzolla, among others.
Lahti Big Band feat. urkuri Matti Hussi
Lahti Big Band and Hammond organist Matti Hussi bring to the Vaahterasali stage a legendary fusion of rhythm music: jazz, soul, and big band.
Matti Hussi, a professional musician from Lahti, has journeyed from the jazz department of the Sibelius Academy to becoming a trusted musician at the Lahti City Theatre. Hussi is also known for his collaborations with numerous artists and choirs.
Founded in 1984, Lahti Big Band has recently introduced big band music to wider audiences through accessible concerts across the Päijät-Häme region. Their extensive repertoire spans from swing standards to modern rhythm music.
Erno Tiittanen is one of Finland’s most sought-after arrangers, big band conductors, and educators. As Lahti Big Band’s artistic director, he has in recent years inspired young musicians at Lahti Conservatory’s pop-jazz department.
This concert is a tribute to organist Jimmy Smith, who brought the Hammond B-3 organ to mainstream audiences by bridging jazz and soul with his groundbreaking recordings. Now, these swinging and grooving sounds will come alive in fresh orchestrations arranged by Lahti Big Band’s conductor Erno Tiittanen. To preserve the original atmosphere, the stage will also feature instruments rarely seen in a big band, such as French horns and a tuba.
This concert also celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Hammond organ — expect rich sounds and powerful emotions with an irresistibly grooving touch!
The Coffee Cantata
In the Finnish-language version of the Coffee Cantata, the roles are performed by three opera singers: soprano Johanna Engelbarth, tenor Jasper Leppänen, and baritone Jyri Lahtinen. They are accompanied by the Baroque orchestra Ensemble Nylandia, composed of top-level musicians. The performance begins with a concert set by Ensemble Nylandia, featuring gems of the Baroque era from across Europe.
Cast:
Johanna Engelbarth, Jasper Leppänen & Jyri Lahtinen
Baroque Orchestra: Ensemble Nylandia
Ilkka Eronen – traverso and recorder
Kaisa Ruotsalainen – violin
Anna Pohjola – violin
Mari Viluksela – viola
Tatu Ahola – cello
Laura Ollberg-Ekman – harpsichord
Music: J. S. Bach
Translation and director: Reetta Ristimäki
Vocal Coaching: Matias Häkkinen
Costume Design: Marja Uusitalo
Choreography: Maria Hostikka
Makeup Design: Ari Haapaniemi
Graphic Design: Tanja Ahola
Production: Greta Productions
Lahti Gospel Choir & Donne Mature & Viri Perfecti & Gunnar Idenstam
On Thursday, the Sibelius Hall will be filled with joy and rhythm as the Lahti Gospel Choir joins forces with the chamber choirs Donne Mature & Viri Perfecti for the Grand Bach and Jazz Concert.
The choir is conducted by Marjaana Turunen, and the evening will be enriched by Swedish organist Gunnar Idenstam, along with soloists Ira Multaharju and Rayssa Monroy.
Gunnar Idenstam is a concert organist, composer and folk musician. He comes from a background of classical music, but has a “distant love relationship” with folk music and the symphonic rock of the 1970s. Today he has brought these influences into the context of organ music, building bridges between French cathedral tradition, symphonic rock and Swedish folk music.
To develop the wideranging music he creates and performs today he studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and then the virtuouso French tradition in Paris, under Marie-Claire Alain and Jacques Taddei. He achieved the highest honours in both countries. In 1984 he was the first – and to date, the only – musician from northern Europe to win the prestigious international competition in improvisation, the “Grand Prix de Chartres”. Since 1986 he has pursued an international career as a concert organist. His arrangements of orchestral works by Ravel (Bolero, La Valse) and Debussy (La Mer) are greatly admired at recitals at home and abroad. Those works are included in his latest solo CD on BIS Records.
In 2012 he was awarded the “Interprete of the year” prize by the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. The Prize was presented to him by His Majesty The King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden. In June 2013 he received the Litteris et Artibus – a royal medal for recognition of eminent skills in the artistic fi eld. Idenstam is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music since May 2013.
For over three decades, the Lahti Gospel Choir has brought the vibrant tones and message of African-American gospel music to Finnish concert halls.
The choir’s diverse repertoire ranges from American gospel classics to gems of contemporary sacred music, both Finnish and international, as well as touching pop music selections.
The choir was founded and is led by Marjaana Turunen – a Lahti-based cantor, Master of Music, Director Cantus, Church Musician of the Year 2012, and the Most Positive Lahti Citizen of 2017.
Founded in 1995, the Lahti Gospel Choir aims to share the Christian message of joy, hope, and comfort through its performances. The choir’s primary mission is to welcome new people into the church community in a low-threshold way through music. Other goals include raising awareness of gospel music and developing the singing and performance skills of its members. Over the years, the choir has served as a nurturing environment for over 500 singers, some of whom have gone on to become professional musicians, church leaders, and active congregants.
The choir has performed a wide range of programs at various events across Finland and abroad. At Lahti’s Ristinkirkko, their performances have consistently drawn full houses of 1,100 people for services such as Tuomas Mass, Schlager Mass, and 27 Gospel Christmas concerts. These events have featured many of Finland’s top artists, including Diandra, Saara Aalto, Noora Louhimo, Aili Ikonen, Jepa Lambert, Yasmine Yamajako, Heidi Kyrö, Ida Elina, Astrid Nicole, Krista Siegfrieds, Krisse Salminen, Mikko “Peltsi” Peltola, Lorenz Backman, Mikko Leppilampi, Sami Saari, Osmo Ikonen, Sami Pitkämö, Brädi, Konsta Hietanen, Elias Kaskinen, Ressu Redford, Lauri Mikkola, and many more.
The choir is an experienced performer in the media. In addition to devotional programs, their lively performances have been featured on TV shows such as Finland’s Best Choir 2009, Satuhäät, SuomiLOVE, The Voice of Finland, and Talent Suomi 2016. The Talent Finland finale attracted 990,000 viewers. The choir has also sung in the YLE TV1 Riemulaulutworship service six times, with 24 airings including re-runs.
One of the choir’s leading voices since 2006 has been Ira Multaharju, whose powerful and nuanced interpretations never fail to move audiences. Multaharju is a versatile singer known for her soulful renditions of soul and Brazilian music as a soloist in various ensembles. Based in Helsinki, she holds a degree in Religious Studies and works as a freelancer, interpreter, and lecturer.
Donne Mature is Italian and means “mature women.”
Who are they? The choir’s founder and conductor is cantor, MuM, dir. cant. Marjaana Turunen. The choir was established in the 1990s. DM was formed from the S/A section of Chamber Choir Quattro Voci to carry out Karl Jenkins’s Adiemus projects. DM has performed at, for example, the Lahti Organ Festival, Lahti Drum Festival, productions in Lutakko (Jyväskylä) and Tavastia (Helsinki), as well as at the Finnish National Opera.
The singers are music professionals from Lahti – cantors, music teachers, choir conductors, or experienced choir singers. DM gathers for specific projects.
Viri Perfecti is Latin and means “mature men.” VP was formed in 2023 for Karl Jenkins’s Stabat Mater project, to complement Donne Mature into a four-part mixed choir.
Photo: AnnaReet Gillblad
Erik Ohtamaa ja Aada Wirberg
The Young Organ Soloists’ Concert at Ristinkirkko will showcase two talented and distinctive young artists who represent the future of the Finnish organ music scene. The evening’s program will feature an impressive selection of organ works presented with fresh interpretations — expect virtuosic playing, profound musical insight, and inspiring youthful energy.
Eerik Ohtamaa is one of the most prominent names among the new generation of young Finnish organists. He grew up studying piano and organ at the Oulu Conservatory. Since 2021, he has been studying organ performance in the soloist program at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts under the guidance of Ville Urponen and Markku Hietaharju. Ohtamaa completed his intermediate organ performance exam (B-level) in spring 2023 and actively continues his studies through masterclasses both in Finland and abroad.
In 2024, he performed as a soloist at the Helsinki Music Centre’s concert hall during the opening week of the new Rieger organ, and also as soloist in Francis Poulenc’s Organ Concerto. In winter 2025, he studied as an exchange student at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig in the organ class of Professor Martin Schmeding.
Aada Wirberg is a church musician and organist originally from Piikkiö, Finland. She completed her advanced organ performance exam (A-level) in May 2025 under the guidance of Jan Lehtola and is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Church Music at the Sibelius Academy. In addition, she graduated as a music pedagogue from Savonia University of Applied Sciences in spring 2025.
Alongside her studies, Wirberg has deepened her expertise through masterclasses in Finland and abroad with renowned teachers such as Franz Danksagmüller, Hans Fagius, and Olivier Latry. She is a versatile and active musician who performs both as a soloist and accompanist and is actively involved in developing the musical life through various organizations.
Around the World with the Travel Harmonium – Children’s Concert
Around the World with a Travel Harmonium is Lahti Organ Festival’s family concert that invites listeners of all ages on a musical journey across the globe. Music educators Maija Hyytiäinen and Tia Tarkiainen, together with musician Anu Alviola, will guide the audience through songs and playful activities as they travel the world. Join the adventure!
Maija Hyytiäinen is a music pedagogue (Master of Culture and Arts) who has been working as an early childhood music educator at Lahti Conservatory since 2008. In addition to teaching, Maija plays the violin and sings in various folk music ensembles.
Tia Tarkiainen graduated as a music pedagogue specializing in early childhood music education in 2006 from Lahti University of Applied Sciences. She has worked as a full-time music play school (muskari) teacher at Lahti Conservatory since 2012.
Anu Alviola is a folk musician from Lahti who graduated from the Sibelius Academy. She teaches folk music and kantele at Lahti Conservatory and Music Institute. During the Organ Festival, this versatile musician will play the travel harmonium, providing rhythmic and expressive accompaniment.
Veera Surkka-Sipilä
Veera Surkka-Sipilä (b. 1994) is a cantor from Lahti, currently working in the Hollola parish. She graduated with a Master’s degree in music from the Church Music Department of the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, in 2020. She has studied organ under Pauli Pietiläinen at Lahti Conservatory and Markus Malmgren at the Sibelius Academy. Her teachers in organ improvisation have been Timo Kiiskinen and Markus Malmgren.
On Sunday, organist Veera Surkka-Sipilä will perform at the Film Music Mass in Ristinkirkko, where she will magically blend organ music with iconic film scores.
Unfortunately, Veera Surkka-Sipilä is unable to perform at the concert. The organist for the Film Music Mass will be Pauli Pietiläinen.