The International Uuno Klami Composition Competition has won itself an established position as one of the world’s foremost composition competitions. Held at intervals of five years, the aim of the International Uuno Klami Composition Competition is to discover and promote contemporary European music and composition under the name of composer Uuno Klami (1900–1961) and to produce good new repertoire for a small orchestra of sinfonietta type. The works shortlisted for the finals are performed by the Kymi Sinfonietta. The International Uuno Klami Composition Competition is organised by a Patrons’ Association consisting of the Kymi Sinfonietta and the cities of Kotka and Kouvola.
The International Uuno Klami Composition Competition was held for the fifth time in 2023–2024. The V International Uuno Klami Composition Competition attracted once again a vast number of entries, the Competition Office having received a total of almost 230 compositions mailed by the deadline at the beginning of December 2023. The works shortlisted for the finals were performed by the Kymi Sinfonietta at two finals concerts, that were held in the cities of Kouvola and Kotka (Finland) in autumn 2024. The Jury was Finland’s Kalevi Aho, Magnus Lindberg and Lotta Wennäkoski, and Sweden’s Mats Larsson Gothe, four of the greatest composers and most influential musical figures of their generation. Conductor Ernest Martínez Izquierdo also joined the jury at a later stage, he conducted the competition’s final concerts in autumn 2024.
The jury awarded the prizes as follows: I prize € 11 000: Matei Gheorghiu (Romania/Finland) for From the Village of Nowhere (piano concerto) /// II prize € 9 000: Dawid Grenda (Poland) for you dream in a language i can’t understand /// III prize € 7 000: Roberto Sansuini (Italy) for FLOW (flute concerto)
The prize of the City of Kotka worth €2 500 went to Jonathan Brigg (Great Britain) for Reflektor and the prize of the City of Kouvola worth €1 000 went to Yves Balmer (France/Switzerland) for Stiacciato. The audience prize, the prize of the Municipality of Virolahti worth € 500 went to Matei Gheorghiu (Romania/Finland) for From the Village of Nowhere (piano concerto)
V UUNO KLAMI COMPOSITION COMPETITION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE NOW OPEN
The Uuno Klami Composition Competition invites all children and young people who are passionate about composing to take part in the V Uuno Klami Composition Competition for Children and Young People. Held in 2026–2027, this national composition competition is open to young composers and composition students aged 10–19. Unique in its field, the competition aims to encourage a new generation of young composers and to inspire participants to express their own musical voice – with imagination as the only limit.
Compositions must be submitted to the competition office by 15 February 2027 at the latest. The jury consists of composer-conductors Elisar Riddelin and Atso Almila, and composers Minna Leinonen, Riikka Talvitie and Sauli Zinovjev. The finals concerts will take place in Kotka and Kouvola in November 2027.
More information & competition rules: www.klamicompetition.fi