Young pianists shone at the XIII Leevi Madetoja piano competition

Today, Saturday, January 25th, the final series for participants under 13 years old was performed, and the prizes have been awarded. On Friday, prizes were presented to the 17–30-year-olds, and on Thursday, to the 13–16-year-olds.

The competition had a record-breaking 83 participants, and during the week, 112 competition performances were heard, totaling 2055 minutes. This means the jury listened to over 34 hours of piano music throughout the week. The concerto finals took place on Friday in the Madetoja Hall with the Oulu Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Esa Heikkilä.

The competition is intended for children and young people studying piano at Finnish music schools or universities of applied sciences. It is organized by Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) in collaboration with Oulu Conservatory, the Oulu Symphony Orchestra, Centria University of Applied Sciences, and POTKU – The Support Association for Arts and Culture in Northern Ostrobothnia.

The competition jury is composed of experienced pianists and educators. The chairman is Jukka Juvonen, with Laura Mikkola, Ulla Roiko-Jokela, and Mika Rännäli as members. Vanessa Cunha, a pianist and senior lecturer at Oulu University of Applied Sciences, served as the competition director.

– The jury considers the competition a resounding success in both organization and the level of the performances. The Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition has long been the most significant event in Finnish piano playing, bringing together young pianists, their supporters, and teachers. This event plays a key role in strengthening interest in piano playing, enhancing the cultural significance of music, and fostering a sense of community and belonging, commented the jury chairman, Jukka Juvonen.

– Leading the Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition for the first time has been incredibly rewarding. It has been truly inspiring to witness performances by young artists from across Finland at the early stages of their careers, said competition director Vanessa Cunha.

– This week of music has proven that the future of piano playing in Finland is in excellent hands. These young pianists dazzled with remarkable technical mastery, brilliance, and musical beauty, even under the pressures of competition, she added.

– The Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition is a nationally significant event that creates a vibrant community and a strong foundation for the future of piano artistry in Finland. I look forward to 2028, when the XIV Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition will once again bring us together to celebrate the masters of piano literature and the joy of music-making. That year, we will also celebrate the competition’s 40th anniversary, as the first event was held in 1988. It is wonderful that we host such an important national event for young pianists here in Oulu. A large number of participants travel from Southern Finland. I believe it is essential to organize nationally significant events in Northern Finland as well, said competition producer Milla Korja.

Category: 17–30 Years Old
1st Prize: €2500 – Maximilian Fagerlund
2nd Prize: €1500 – Ella Oksava
3rd Prize: €1000 – Vilina Rainisto
Finalist Prize: €500 – Atte Kohtala and Jesse Mäki

Special Prize from the Society of Finnish Composers: €700 for the best performance of a new Finnish piano work – Julia Elomaa

Category: 13–16 Years Old
1st Prize: €1200 – Väinö Viljanen, Turku Conservatory
2nd Prize: €800 – Antti Pimiä, Tampere Conservatory
3rd Prize: €500 – Olli Oksava, Helsinki Conservatory, and €500 – Sauli Aaltonen, Tampere Conservatory

Special Prize from the Society of Finnish Composers: €500 for the best performance of a new Finnish piano work in the 13–16 age group – Martta Pölönen, East Helsinki Music Institute

Category: Under 13 Years Old
In accordance with the jury’s decision, a total of €2000 in encouragement prizes will be awarded, funded by the City of Oulu (€800), Oulu Conservatory (€500), the Madetoja Foundation (€200), and the Mänttä Music Festival (€500).

Recognition Awards:

• €250 – Yifan Wang
• €100 – Sofia Kosola, Felix Sun, Florian Benkenstein, Andrew Guo, Ella Gardini, Bao Vu Hoang, Topias Kujala, Aleksi Sarkkinen, Arijus Šereckis 
• €50 – Bonnie Chen, Horia Chirciu, Xinyue Du, Lumi-Tuuli Elomaa, Annabel Heikola, Alisa Hentonen, Dora Hotta, Yuchen Jia, Akira Kawai, Kasperi Kongas, Petra Leino, Arwen Lu, Joel Malmberg, Shiyu Min, Hoang Nam Nguyen, Jimi Niemelä, Nestori Salmesvuori

Special Prize Across All Categories
€500 awarded by Musica – The Oulu Music Theater Association for the best pianist from Northern Ostrobothnia – Nooa Hilli

Contact:

• Competition Email: pianokilpailu@oamk.fi
• Social Media: Facebook: @LeeviMadetojaPianokilpailu | Instagram: @leevipianokilpailu
• Website: www.oamk.fi/pianokilpailu

Organizers:

• Vanessa Cunha, Competition Director, Oulu University of Applied Sciences | vanessa.cunha@oamk.fi | +358 50 434 8954
• Milla Korja, Competition Producer, Oulu University of Applied Sciences | milla.korja@oamk.fi | +358 40 141 5217