"Towards Vyborg" Festival was held with the support of Russian Musical Union

On August 17 – 25, on the Karelian Isthmus in the Kurortny district of St. Petersburg and in Vyborg the XII Music and Poetry Festival “Towards Vyborg” was organized by the Institute of Finland in St. Petersburg with the assistance of Russian Musical Union, National Fund for Copyright Holders’ Support, and the Lifestyle Charity Foundation, Consulate General of Finland, the Governments of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

The Festival presents the residents and guests of the Karelian Isthmus the works created and performed in these places in the late XIX-early XX centuries. Concerts and arts events were traditionally held in a chamber setting, often in open-air venues, where classical music, jazz compositions, romances and poems could be listened.

In the Finnish part of the program, the organizers focused on contemporary poetry and music of Finland. A poetic evening “Woman’s Voice” took place, the guests of which became acquainted with a collection of poems. Modern Finnish music was presented by the works of Petri Makkonen and Kaya Saariaho at a concert in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul in Vyborg. This year, Makkonen became a participant of the Festival and performed his works himself.