UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary, starting in summer 2025 and continuing all the way to spring 2026. The orchestra has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz for decades.
During the decades, the orchestra has performed under many names. The city of Helsinki’s own jazz orchestra was founded in summer 1975 under the name Finnish Jazz Workshop, which was soon changed to Uuden Musiikin Orkesteri (Orchestra of New Music), and later to the more international name UMO Jazz Orchestra. In 2019, the orchestra got its current name, UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. Currently, the orchestra is experiencing a new blossoming. One thing will always remain the same: the core of UMO is new music.
For 50 years, UMO has been synonymous with achievements and mastery of jazz. Over the years, UMO has recorded over 60 albums, performed alongside both international jazz greats and Finnish artists, and received Yrjö and Emma prizes, as well as a Grammy nomination. The orchestra’s library is of cultural and historical importance and contains over 4,000 works. UMO collaborates annually with over 150 professionals in the music and event business and is among the most important artistic employers in the Finnish jazz scene.
During the anniversary season, we will remember the former glory, celebrate our achievements, and keep our eyes on the future. Come and celebrate together with UMO!
The Anniversary Season Amplifies the Orchestra’s Own Voice
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra celebrates its notable 50th anniversary with a celebratory season and a programme that has been collaboratively by the entire personnel. This places a strong emphasis on UMO’s own, unique voice. The anniversary season was conceived with great respect for the rich history of the orchestra, while simultaneously maintaining a curious outlook of the future under the theme “UMO before, now and in the future”.
– The slogan of the anniversary season, “UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra – The Greatest Feats since 1975”, encapsulates what this milestone truly means for us. The word feat is often used in music to mean a guest or a soloist, a moment when somebody steps forward in a special role. The word feat itself means achievement, stunt, deed or heroic act. For us, the anniversary season signifies more than individual musical culminations. It is a journey of the whole orchestra, a work that spans many decades, during which art, people and time have intertwined. Every musician, every person working in administration or production, every audience member and every collaboration partner has been part of this accomplishment. That UMO is still alive and thriving now, 50 years later, is in itself a great feat: an act, stunt and indication of both tenacity and the power of renewal. This anniversary season is a tribute to everyone who has believed in the orchestra and helped to advance it. At the same time, it is a powerful signal that UMO still has much to say – now and in the future, says Managing Director Henriika Steidel-Luoto.
The Anniversary Season Starts with Festival Gigs
The anniversary seasons starts in July, as we come full circle in Pori. UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra played its first concert ever at the Pori Jazz festival on 12th July 1975 – although the orchestra was then known as the Finnish Jazz Workshop. Now, UMO returns to Pori and launches its 50th anniversary season in style with two free concerts at the iconic festival venue Lokkilava on Wednesday, 16th July. UMO joins Pikku Papun Orkesteri for a children’s concert, and in the evening concert, UMO’s soloists will be the saxophonist Adele Sauros and the word artist Paleface.
The festivities continue at the opening night of the Helsinki Festival on Thursday, 14th August, as UMO’s classic album Sauna palaa! will be performed at the Huvila stage. The work is a unique collection of jazz compositions, commissioned for the 170th anniversary of Aleksis Kivi in 2004, and it was last performed live almost two decades ago.
Among other festival gigs during the autumn season, the orchestra performs for the first time at the Porvoo Jazz Festival together with the drummer Jaska Lukkarinen on Friday, 26th September.
UMO Launches Club Nights at the Music Centre
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra celebrates its 50 years with a new series of club concerts in Black Box at the Helsinki Music Centre. The series, comprising six club nights, sums up the history of the orchestra with the theme “UMO before, now and in the future” and brings a flair of international jazz club culture to Helsinki. The pulsating jazz club treats us to six surprising and intimate nights, during which UMO, together with guest artists, present different aspects of itself, from the traditional to the experimental. Each club night includes a discussion with interesting and sometimes surprising guests. The discussions and club nights are hosted by journalist Laura Haimila.
– UMO’s new club in Black Box at the Music Centre is a place that brings together friends of jazz and big band music. Together with guest soloists, conductors, composers, arrangers, participants in conversations, as well as the audience, UMO creates moments that challenge our expectations and open up new dimensions by merging the traditional and the experimental. Here, we can experience something that has the potential to go down in history, says UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s Managing Director Henriika Steidel-Luoto.
The club nights are on Saturdays 20th September, 25th October and 13th December 2025 as well as 17th January, 21st March and 18th April 2026. Featuring soloists are e.g. Jukka Perko, Vuokko Hovatta, Aili Ikonen, Pepa Päivinen, Anni Elif and Johannes Granroth.
Renowned Guest Soloists and Conductors, Joint Concerts with Different Orchestras
What could be better than to celebrate together with others!
One of the highlights of the autumn is the concert in November with the conductor and composer Maria Schneider, a true superstar of big band music. She is one of the greatest jazz composers and pioneers of big band music of our time, and she has conducted UMO earlier in 1991, 1997 and 2002 – making it 23 years since her last visit. The concert is at the Savoy Theatre on Thursday, 13th November.
In November, UMO also hosts a Double Party together with the contemporary folk band Frigg, celebrating its 25th anniversary. The unique concert brings together the best parts of folk music and jazz. UMO and Frigg, two masters of their own genres, will perform together twice: on Thursday, 27th November in Vuotalo in Helsinki and on Friday, 28th November in Siltasali in Jyväskylä.
Elegant interpretation, captivating jazz singing, and skilful scat singing directly from London! In October, UMO is joined on stage by Emma Smith, one of the brightest stars among British jazz singers. The concerts are on Thursday, 2nd October at the Savoy Theatre, Friday, 3rd October in Seinäjoki-sali and Saturday, 4th October at G Livelab in Tampere.
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra continues its fruitful collaboration with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, as the two orchestras of the city of Helsinki welcome pianist Iiro Rantala as their soloist at the Music Centre on Friday, 31st October.
In November, UMO will join forces with the rap artist Stepa. Arrangements of favourite tracks from the different stages of Stepa’s career have been made for UMO’s 18-person strong orchestra, especially for this concert. The result is an intriguing mix of jazz, soul, funk and hip-hop, seamlessly integrated into the rich sound of the large orchestra. The concert is at Kangasala-talo on Thursday, 6th November.
The immensely popular joint concerts together with Pikku Papun Orkesteri continue during Children’s Rights Week in November, as the prize-winning concert is performed to the enjoyment of kids in Vantaa, Lapinjärvi and Espoo on 20th, 21st and 22nd November.
The whole detailed autumn season programme, as well as links for ticket sales, can be found at www.umohelsinki.fi. The spring season programme for 2026 will be released at the end of 2025.
Audience Development Brings Music to Everyone, Babies and Grandpas Alike
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s audience development work consists of participatory activities, bringing musical experiences to those who, for some reason or another, cannot access the orchestra’s performances. During its anniversary season, UMO will launch two new projects. UMO will be the cultural godparent for all children born in Helsinki in 2025, inviting them to two free musical events every year until they start school. Another significant initiative is UMO’s project Sydämen sointuja (Harmonies of the Heart), which will see small ensembles from the orchestra perform in twenty service centres of the cities of Helsinki and Vantaa.
In addition to these projects, UMO supports cultural education and the accessibility of music through children’s concerts, school and daycare visits, Art Testers concerts for 8th graders, as well as educational collaboration with schools and music education institutions.
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra – The Greatest Feats since 1975. Get ready to groove as we mark 50 years of achievements and mastery in jazz! UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary season from summer 2025 to spring 2026. Throughout these decades, the orchestra has been at the forefront of Finnish jazz. Over the years, UMO has recorded over 60 albums, received Yrjö and Emma prizes, and even a Grammy nomination. The orchestra has shared the stage with international jazz stars as well as Finnish artists. One thing remains constant: the core of UMO is in new music. Join us for our anniversary season to look back on the past and celebrate our achievements, all while keeping our eyes firmly on the exciting future ahead. Come and celebrate together with the UMO! www.umohelsinki.fi