10 performances over 6 hours! All three stages are in the same space in Korjaamohalli at Korjaamo. Doors open at 15.00 and close at 23.30. There is a mandatory cloakroom fee of 3,9€ per attendee.
| Aika | Kulma | Kino | Peili |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.30 | Rautakoura | ||
| 16.30 | Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret | Härme | |
| 17.15 | Paula Wolski Ensemble | ||
| 18.00 | Erkki Virkkala & Iikka Huntus | Concertina City | |
| 18.45 | Miika Leivo (duo) | ||
| 19.45 | Teija Niku | Matti Sakari | |
| 20.30 | Ur Skogen (SE/NO) | ||
| 21.30- 23.30 | JAM SESSION bring your instrument! |
Ur Skogen (SE/NO)
Ur Skogen is a duo with wild rhythms and ancient scales. On the solid base of Emelie’s nyckelharpa, Erik’s Swedish bagpipes and various folk flutes are given their time to shine, inviting the listener to an adventure through old forests and half-forgotten tunes.
Emelie Waldken – nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle)
Erik Orvehed – Swedish bagpipe
Miika Leivo
Recently settled in Lahti, Miika Leivo blends big-city folk and indie influences with the Finnish singer-songwriter tradition. In his atmospheric solo shows, vocals and guitar take center stage, bringing the lyrics even closer to the listener. The mood can be characteristically Finnish—melancholic, yet never overwhelming. His 2024 debut album as Nääj received a four-star review from Pekka Laine, and the songs have been heard on radio stations and playlists. Known for his intense live performances, Miika has opened for artists such as Samuli Putro and Edu Kettunen.
Rautakoura
Rautakoura is a bear that sleeps through the winters and rampages through the summers. It’s been that way for years, ever since our mandolin player moved up north to study. Hibernation is restless and often broken – interrupted time and again by gigs or recording sessions.
Matti – mandolin, vocals
Juho – bass, vocals
Lauri – banjo, vocals
Pekka – guitar, vocals
Teija Niku
Finnish accordionist and composer Teija Niku releases her fourth solo album “Tovi”, a self-produced work that continues the artistic path of her previous solo album “Hetkessä” (2019).
All the music on the album is again composed, arranged, and recorded by Niku herself. Many of the pieces draw from Nordic folk dance styles, yet the album also features the Balkan-inspired sound world characteristic of her music.
Teija Niku – accordion
Concertina City
The programme of the Concertina City concert features modern arrangements of Irish and Nordic folk music for anglo concertina, celtic harp and tin whistles. In addition to music, the performance includes stories in which mystical instruments, melodies, and people are woven into living cultural tradition.
Lauri Häme – concertina
Laura Airola – nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle), celtic harp
Samuli Karjalainen – bouzouki and tin whistles
Paula Wolski Ensemble
Paula Wolski is a singer-songwriter whose songs weave Finnish folk music seamlessly into Americana. The flowing playing and gentle tones of the Paula Wolski Ensemble, a band made up of seasoned professionals from Finland’s vibrant folk scene, combined with occasional energetic bursts, create a natural foundation for Paula’s bright, melismatic vocals. The ensemble’s first album will be released in early 2026.
Paula Wolski – vocals, ukulele
Kalle Jämsen – guitar
Nelli Ikola-Heiska – violin, vocals
Jarmo Romppanen – mandolin
Jani Snellman – double bass
Matti Sakari
Matti Sakari is a singer-songwriter from Joensuu who released his third album, “Viimeiset päivät, viimeiset yöt” (“The Last Days, the Last Nights”), in November 2025. Songs from the self-produced album were played on both YLE and Radio Helsinki.
The music of this Helsinki-born songwriter is calm, sensitive, and rooted indie folk that makes listeners stop and pay attention. Matti Sakari’s previous albums are Valoraitoja (2019) and Kiskot (2016). At Helsinki Winter Folk, Matti Sakari performs solo, acoustically.
Matti Sakari – vocals, acoustic guitar
Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in spring 2026, the vocal collective Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret is a creative community that composes and performs new Finnish vocal music based on Kalevalaic poetry. The music is rooted in the compositions of the group’s founder and artistic director, Sabrina Ljungberg, as well as in collective composition processes led by her.
In addition to their distinctive musical style, Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret is known for its dramatic and holistic approach to performance. In the group concerts, voice, poetry, and theatrical expression merge into a powerful and immersive art form. Their performance at Helsinki Winter Folk will feature works from the ensemble’s early years to the present day.
Erkki Virkkala ja Iikka Huntus
Erkki Virkkala and Iikka Huntus are young Finnish fiddlers and violinists from Kaustinen who form a modern folk music duo. Their music is strongly rooted in the traditional pelimanni style of Kaustinen, which they combine with influences from jazz and classical music, creating their distinctive and energetic sound.
Härme
Härme plays more or less known rock and pop songs with the accordion with original arrangements. The instrument is traditional, but the feel is rock.