Lilli Maijala
Viola
We completely fell for Lilli’s playing and energy last year. There’s something about Finns and classical music, and bringing in top-tier viola stars is no small thing. So we’re holding on to this gem.
About the Artist
Wicked tongues claim that violists often suffer from an inferiority complex compared to violinists. Good luck finding any of that in Lilli.
As smart as she is (she is Head of Department for viola at the Sibelius Academy), she knows chamber music is nothing without the viola. She’s studied her Haydn, and she knows he believed all four instruments are equally important in the string quartet. And what is more chamber music than the string quartet?
The fact that she also spent last year spreading a wonderful energy through the musicians is invaluable to us. We wanted Lilli back!
Concerts
See the full program →Opening Concert
Artistic Director Tine Thing Helseth invites you to a spectacular opening featuring Haydn, Ravel, and others. Welcome to Risør Chamber Music Festival 2026!
Summer Party at Torvet
We're inviting the whole city to the main square on the most beautiful summer day of the year. Classical delights and good vibes, plus food and drinks. Welcome!
Back to the Future
Beethoven's string quartet will finally be performed in Risør Church again. But the first part of the concert is crucial to understanding Beethoven's last great work.
Tine with Friends
Tine Thing Helseth's intimate gathering. The concert that sells out fastest every year, which surprises no one. This is a Risør summer distilled to perfection.
At Bibiche & Arnfinn's Home
The people of Risør open their homes so you can hear chamber music as it was meant to be: intimate, unfiltered, and wonderfully close.
Romeo & Juliet
The world's most famous lovers have inspired more music than we can perform. So we've selected our favorites from Prokofiev and Bernstein.
Chamber Treasures
This is not a regular concert. It's the start of the weekend with the world's finest musicians letting loose and letting their hair down.
Seasons at Torvet
One of classical music’s absolute superhits brings the concert to a close, and the build-up to the climax is filled with the loveliest seasons, from the cold north to the hot south.
Heart Strings
This year’s closing concert is inspired by an intricate emotional life between several great composers. The festival’s final concert plays on the most sensitive strings we have: the heartstrings.
