Celebrating Love and French Music at Crusell Week in Uusikaupunki
The International Crusell Week will take place in Uusikaupunki from 27 July to 2 August 2026. This year’s theme invites audiences into the world of love and French music. The festival week features high-quality concerts, inspiring guest speakers, and a vibrant international festival atmosphere.
Representatives of the Crusell Society pictured from left to right: Hanna Pishro, Secretary of the Crusell Society; Jaana Pieniniemi-Lahikainen, Chair of the Crusell Ladies; Janne Palkisto, Executive Director; Sari Lehtosaari, Chair of the Crusell Society; and board members Marketta Suoja-Sjöblom and Anja Savolainen.
Ticket Sales
The Vaasa City Orchestra’s guest concert and the performance by the French clarinet ensemble Les Bons Becs have been among the most popular events in advance sales. Tickets are still available for all concerts, although some events may soon sell out.
Tickets can be purchased through the nationwide Lippu.fi online service and ticket outlets. In Uusikaupunki, the local ticket office is located at the Tourist Information Office (Rauhankatu 10).
Yle Broadcasting from Crusell Week
Yle will broadcast live the Femme Fatale concert from Wallila Manor on Friday, 31 July 2026, at 7:00 PM. The programme features works by French women composers.
The concert is also part of the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) summer festival series, allowing it to reach international audiences. In addition, Yle will record the house concert taking place on Friday, 31 July, at 1:00 PM, featuring soprano Helena Juntunen and harpist Laura Hynninen.
Guest Speakers at the Festival
Filmmaker and musician Anna Eriksson will discuss love as a theme in art at house concerts on Wednesday, 29 July, at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Festival artists will provide the musical programme.
Music educator and Doctor of Philosophy Anna Ramstedt will give an English-language lecture on safety skills for musicians on Monday, 27 July, at 3:00 PM. During the festival week, Ramstedt will also host the popular Fanfare of the Day events.
Family Concert Featuring Freija
The family concert will feature Freija, an ensemble of professional folk musicians. The group recently won the prestigious Konsta Jylhä Competition at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.
Changes to the Artist Line-up
Oboist Fabien Thouand has unfortunately had to cancel his participation in Crusell Week. Replacing him as both performer and teacher is Nora Cismondi, principal oboist of the French-speaking Swiss Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Lausanne University of Music.
Bassoonist María José Rielo Blanco has also been forced to cancel unexpectedly. Her performances and teaching duties will be taken over by Jaakko Luoma, principal bassoonist of Tapiola Sinfonietta.
International Woodwind Stars in Uusikaupunki
Once again, Crusell Week will welcome an impressive group of internationally acclaimed woodwind musicians.
The flute artists include Adriana Ferreira from the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and Kaisa Kortelainen from the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. The guest oboist is Anni Haapaniemi from Tapiola Sinfonietta.
Clarinetists Nicolas Baldeyrou of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Harri Mäki of the Sibelius Academy will perform at the festival. Bassoonists Jaakko Luoma of Tapiola Sinfonietta and Otto Virtanen of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra will also take part.
The festival’s Artistic Director for the final time is clarinetist Olli Leppäniemi, who serves as principal clarinetist with both the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Tapiola Sinfonietta.
French Influences Throughout the Festival
The festival’s international ensemble guest is the French clarinet quartet Les Bons Becs, known for energetic performances, theatrical movement, and flawless ensemble playing. Audiences can look forward to witty and imaginative arrangements of familiar melodies.
The French atmosphere continues with organ music and chansons. Organist Kari Vuola will perform on the magnificent Marcussen organ of the New Church in Uusikaupunki, including Widor’s famous Toccata and Saint-Saëns’ Prelude and Fugue. Angelika Klas will perform French chansons together with pianist Kirill Kozlovski.
At the late-night concert in the Old Church, audiences can experience Olivier Messiaen’s masterpiece Quartet for the End of Time. For an additional fee, visitors may sit on benches once used by the Crusell family themselves.
Festival-goers can also enjoy a taste of France at Pakkahuone, where a French breakfast with café au lait will be served throughout the week.
Vaasa City Orchestra as Guest Orchestra
The Vaasa City Orchestra will visit Crusell Week with a programme featuring French orchestral masterpieces and Mozart’s Paris Symphony, notable for being the first symphony in which the composer used clarinets.
Soprano Helena Juntunen will appear as soloist, performing songs by Bernhard Henrik Crusell. The concert will be conducted by Teemu Hämäläinen.
The programme also includes the premiere of Crusell’s rarely performed Fågelleken in a new orchestration by Teemu Hämäläinen.
World Premiere Opens the Festival
Crusell Week begins with the world premiere of a new composition. The bassoon sonata by Finnish-Colombian composer Tuomas Turriago will be performed at Lokalahti Church on Monday, 27 July, at 6:00 PM.
The performers are Otto Virtanen, principal bassoonist of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and pianist Ossi Tanner. The work draws inspiration from tango rhythms, bell sounds, and Virtanen’s distinctive sense of humour.
Excursion to Pietarinkari on the Closing Day
On the festival’s closing day, Sunday 2 August, a passenger boat will depart from the shores of Uusikaupunki for Pietarinkari Island. At the Sailing Club pavilion, audiences will enjoy a programme combining Crusell’s Clarinet Quartet in D Major with music from the French Classical period.
The concert will feature flautist Kaisa Kortelainen, incoming Artistic Director of Crusell Week. The occasion will also celebrate the contributions of outgoing Artistic Director Olli Leppäniemi.
The excursion concludes with a festive meal designed by MasterChef winner Marita Frimodig.
Guided Tours: Following in Crusell’s Footsteps
On Wednesday, 29 July, at 11:00 AM, visitors can join a guided walking tour exploring the childhood surroundings of composer and clarinet virtuoso Bernhard Henrik Crusell, who was born in Uusikaupunki.
The one-hour tour starts from the Peace Memorial on the Market Square and returns to the same location. After the tour, participants can attend the free Crusell Music Week concert, Fanfare of the Day. The same tour will also be offered in English on 31 July at 11:00 AM.
Explore the full programme: www.crusell.fi
