History

Tampere Biennale has focused from the very beginning on presenting new Finnish art music. Over the years, the festival programme has featured a wide range of works by different composers.

For Tampere Biennale it has always been important to commission new compositions. Between 1988 and 2024, a total of 35 musical and sound art works have been created as festival commissions.

Over the past forty years, Tampere Biennale has featured a wide range of artists and chamber music ensembles from both Finland and abroad. Orchestral music has also been an integral part of the festival from the very beginning, and since 2004 Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra has had an established place in the programme. Modern art music is at the heart of Tampere Biennale, but the late‑night club events have broadened the festival’s line‑up to include, among others, artists from the fields of electronic music and jazz.