Opening Concert: Aili Ikonen & Oona Airola

The opening concert of Jyväskylän Kesä offers a unique meeting of artists, as singer Aili Ikonen takes the stage with her ensemble, joined by special guest, actor-singer Oona Airola. The evening features a wide selection of Ikonen's poetic and emotive music, along with poetry specially chosen for the occasion. The themes of the concert touch on questions that are at once timeless and painfully relevant to our time — among them experiences spanning generations, womanhood, and our relationship with nature. The music and spoken passages of the concert blend together with Ikonen's singing into a unified and distinctive whole.

Aili Ikonen is one of Finland's top singers and songwriters, known as a sensitive and masterful interpreter. Ikonen's expressive range begins with jazz and boldly breaks beyond genre boundaries. The vibrant artist's career includes collaborations with various jazz combos, big band productions, and Ella Fitzgerald -interpretations. Ikonen is now also known as a member of the a cappella group Rajaton. In 2025, Ikonen was awarded the Yrjö Prize by the Finnish Jazz Federation, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the jazz field.

Alongside Aili Ikonen and her band, the successful multi-talented artist Oona Airola will perform. Airola is a Jussi Award-winning actress and singer, known for her many roles, including her leading role as a singer Kaija Koo In the feature film Beautiful Messy Happy (2026). In addition to films, Airola's work includes numerous TV series, such as Helsinki Syndrome and Hildur. Airola has been seen on performing arts stages at, for example, the Helsinki City Theatre. Furthermore, Airola has extensive experience in music: he has performed with the country's largest orchestras and also extensively created his own music.

The soloist is accompanied on stage by Aili Ikonen's trusted quintet, with whom she has collaborated for over 10 years and five albums:

Janne Toivonen (trumpet)
William Suvanne (saxophone)
Tuomas J. Turunen (keyboard)
Mikko Pellinen (bass)
Mikko Arlin (drums)