Sounds of Luosto will once again gather classical music lovers to Luosto, Pyhätunturi and Sodankylä for an unforgettable experience. The chamber music festival is set for 6-9 August this year, and an outstanding programme of performances around the theme ‘music of travel’ is soon to be announced.

The first edition of Sounds of Luosto took place in the summer of 2021 and since then, this is an opportunity for classical music lovers to enjoy wonderful chamber music performances set in Lappish nature. Every year, the festival programme has a storytelling nature and is centred around a certain theme, and every act fits within that framework.

“Explicitly, many famous composers throughout the centuries have travelled for work, while metaphorically, their music often reflects their own personal journeys,” says Aku Sorensen, conductor and artistic director. “With this year’s theme – ‘music of travel’ – we examine this interplay and explore the effects that music can have on our own journeys through life.”

The concert venue Aittakuru sits at the bottom of a breathtaking fell gorge, with the audience seats built into the northern slope. Photo: Taika Sorensen. | Sounds of Luosto: Classical music in the middle of Lapland’s nature

The concert venue Aittakuru sits at the bottom of a breathtaking fell gorge, with the audience seats built into the northern slope. Photo: Taika Sorensen.

Outdoor stage, fell gorge, and old church

The programme promises ten dramatically different concerts, with different perspectives on what a journey can be. The audience can expect works from a variety of composers, both well-known and less so, such as Kalevi Aho, Amy Beach, Jean Cras, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Felix Mendelssohn.

The festival venues are destinations in their own right. For instance, the Ukko-Luosto outdoor stage is a one-of-a-kind natural auditorium in the Pyhä-Luosto National Park. New this year is Aittakuru, a concert venue built at the bottom of a breathtaking fell gorge, with the audience seats built into the northern slope. And Sodankylä Old Church is one of Finland’s oldest wooden churches, built 330 years ago and preserved as a historical destination.

Sodankylä Old Church is one of Finland’s oldest wooden churches, built 330 years ago and preserved as a historical destination. Photo: Johanna Luusua | Sounds of Luosto: Classical music in the middle of Lapland’s nature

Sodankylä Old Church is one of Finland’s oldest wooden churches, built 330 years ago and preserved as a historical destination. Photo: Johanna Luusua

In addition to the concerts, there will be side events, including free morning presentations explaining the background to the concerts, the composers and their styles. And before the festival even starts, musicians will meet the public in a number of pop-up performances, bringing music to the heart of people’s everyday lives.

“The festival is always a wonderful event, and it’s fantastic to see how the audience connects with the music,” reflects the conductor. “It’s so exciting how people from all over Finland and further afield find their way to us every year.”

Aku Sorensen, artistic director of the festival. Photo: Mario Ramirez | Sounds of Luosto: Classical music in the middle of Lapland’s nature

Aku Sorensen, artistic director of the festival. Photo: Mario Ramirez

Web: luostosoi.fi/en
Facebook: Luosto soi / Sounds of Luosto
Instagram: @luostosoi

Sounds of Luosto takes place 6-9 August 2026. The programme will be announced and tickets will be available in February.

Read the feature on issuu