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Inka Puhakka, managing director of the Oulu Music Festival, seems busy when we meet in the foyer of the Madetoja Music Centre. She comes rushing in from a rehearsal and is on her way to the janitor’s room to make some phone calls, meanwhile giving directions to the people around her.
 Egberto Gismonti
The Oulu Music Festival is in full swing and the first concerts took place last Wednesday and Thursday. When we finally sit down for the interview, I ask Inka if she is satisfied with the start of the festival. So far the concerts were good, she nods. “However, the number of visitors for yesterday’s concert disappoints me. I wonder if I did something wrong. We made posters, we were on the radio and sent a few thousand programs."
Inka studied at the Sibelius academy, conducted a wind band in Helsinki and, as she admitted, coincidentally rolled into the job as managing director when a friend employed at Oulu´s Music Festival went on maternity leave. “I thought it was a joke when she called” she smiles. “But I didn´t need to think twice”. She packed her stuff and moved to Oulu to take up the challenge to organize the 19th Oulu Music Festival. She works closely with Niko Kumpuvaara, artistic director of the Oulu Music Festival.
When I ask what the difference in workload between an artistic and managing director is, she explains that Niko made the program. “Artistic directors are usually more famous. They have won several prizes and awards. They have a reputation of giving excellent concerts. But for the festival we discuss things and sometimes we decide together."
Artistic director Niko Kumpuvaara (accordion) performs on Monday, March 16, with “Songs of Love” together with jazz singer Maria Ylipää, tenor Tuomas Katajala and Kiril Kozlovsky (piano). The quartet will bring a selection of poems in which love is presented from different points of view.
The program shows a wide array of choices for the audience. Folk, music, tango, poetry, love songs, chamber music and jazz on different locations in town such as the Madetoja Hall, Theatre Rio, Tulindberg Hall, Radisson SAS and Oulu Cathedral. “For me it´s stressful to drive from rehearsal to rehearsal” says Inka. "But, we managed to match the music with the premises. "Go and listen to the mouth organ concert in Rio and you´ll understand what I mean. For this orchestra I couldn’t dream of a better location."
When I ask Inka for her favourite musical moments she hesitates for a moment. “It depends on my mood” she responds. “I like jazz and pop music but the question is always: how well is it played? In my work I mostly enjoy the concerts.”
According to Inka there are differences between Oulu and Helsinki. “The concert audience is more diverse and networking is easier in Oulu. "But travel expenses for soloists are higher due to the travel distance". "As a big city Helsinki has certainly more to offer to the music minded public,” she says.
Sometimes during her work Inka meets famous musicians and politicians. But she isn´t always aware with whom she meets. “Last year at the opera I didn´t recognize “the man".I kindly thanked him for coming to the concert but had no idea who he was. My father pointed out later that I had exchanged words with the mayor of Oulu.”
Inka´s advice to expats in Oulu: go to “Virtuoso da Brasil” on Thursday March 19. “Oulu´s symphony orchestra will perform with Egberto Gismonti". "He´s a musical legend from Brasil and having him in Finland is a delicacy!”
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