Mirjam Helin Competition to be held in Turku in summer 2027

The Mirjam Helin Competition counts among the most prestigious contests of its kind in the world. Many of the young singers who have found success in the competition have gone on to launch successful careers and reach the top tier of the international music industry. The Finnish Cultural Foundation has increased the frequency of the event to once every three years. 

Until now, the Mirjam Helin Competition has always been held in Helsinki. In June 2027, the event will take place in Turku, bringing festival cheer to the whole city. The preliminary round will take place at Sigyn Hall, while the semi-finals and finals will be held at the newly built Music Hall Fuuga. The main partner of the competition is the City of Turku.  

“Turku is blazing the trail as a city that promotes and invests in cultural events. We want to play a part in building an international music programme in Turku. The finalists of the Mirjam Helin Competition are among the top talents of the future, and we want to give them the opportunity to perform in the brand-new Music Hall Fuuga,” says Susanna Pettersson, CEO of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.  

The singing competition aims to attract 500 applicants from across the world, from which around 40 promising singers will be selected to participate. Thousands of people are expected to attend the competition concerts alone, and many times more are expected to attend other events in the city, listen to the performances on the radio and watch them on TV and streaming services. Streaming will reach lovers of vocal classical music and opera around the world. 

The Mirjam Helin Singing Competition will give Turku's cultural life a new international boost as the event expands beyond concert halls to reach a wider audience in the city and its surrounding areas. Those who enjoy singing can participate in community singing events, and the accompanying programme also includes masterclasses, opera karaoke, and public discussions. In addition to the City of Turku, partners include the Turku and Naantali Music Festivals. 

According to Turku Mayor Piia Elo, the Mirjam Helin Competition will further strengthen Turku's position as a diverse and international city of culture.  

"Music Hall Fuuga, which is under construction on the banks of the Aura River, boasts excellent acoustics and architecture, providing a unique setting for the competition. What’s more, the vast array of side events means that people can enjoy the cultural experiences throughout the city," says Elo.  

For a taste of what the Mirjam Helin Competition has to offer, music lovers can attend the concert of the 2024 winner, the captivating mezzo-soprano Jingjing Xu, at the Turku Music Festival on 22 August 2025. The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s new initiative, the Mirjam Helin Academy, which offers further training for talented singers, will also launch in Turku. Seven promising singers who are aiming to succeed on the international stage have already been chosen as the Academy’s first students. They will start their first study period in August 2025 at Linnasmäki College. In the future, study periods will be organised in different parts of the country. 

The funding for the Mirjam Helin Competition comes from the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Mirjam and Hans Helin donor fund. Professor Mirjam Helin (1911–2006) was a vocal artist and beloved singing teacher who made a major donation to the Finnish Cultural Foundation with the ambition to make the singing competition the most prestigious in the world.  

Mirjam Helin Competition 

• This long-standing competition will be held for the first time in Turku from 7 to 17 June 2027.  

• A total of approximately €200,000 in cash prizes and scholarships will be awarded. The winner will receive a sum of €60,000, which, as far as we know, is the largest prize of any international classical singing competition. 

• The preliminary round will be held at Sigyn Hall, while the semi-finals will take place in the chamber music hall and the finals in the concert hall of Music Hall Fuuga. Around 40 applicants will be selected to compete in the preliminary round. 

• John Storgårds will conduct the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra in the finals.  

• The side events will be widely spread across Turku and the surrounding area.