Fancy a chat and a drink with your Early Music?

CAFÉ BAROCK is a new way of listening to classical music. It seeks to take the concert tradition back to its roots as a form of shared entertainment, often involving eating, drinking and chatting.

At present we generally hear classical music only within the confines of a concert tradition established in the 19th century, one that places music firmly in concert halls and churches. The Café Barock concert series offers audiences the chance to hear some of the most interesting early-music performers from Finland and abroad in more informal concert settings. Our concerts are all hosted and audience-friendly. Café Barock's events continue to grow in popularity, and each time we see both regular visitors and new audience members, who through our easily approachable performance style can now explore the world of classical music.

We have three year-round concert series in Helsinki:

Café Barock Universum

A Sunday afternoon concert series held at Theatre Universum, a functioning theatre that hosts freelance theatre and dance companies. Concerts are held among the stage setting of the plays or dance performances, giving the concerts delightfully imaginative backgrounds.

Café Barock Kalliosali

A Tuesday evening concert series for both traditional and more adventurous branches of early music. Held in Kalliosali, a former theatre turned cosy multifunctional event space with a pub-like atmosphere, small tables and drinks.

Café Barock - New faces of Early Music

An afternoon concert series in collaboration with Sibelius Academy Early Music department, held at a charming old library in Rikhardinkatu and introducing students and up and coming performers of early music.

In addition to our three concert series in Helsinki, many early music soloists and ensembles have been given opportunities to give appearances as well as smaller-scale performances in countless other places such as libraries, foyers, cafés, pubs, museums, art galleries, theatres, parks, forests and street corners in Finland via Café Barock consert series. Café Barock's objective is to enrich local cultural life with high-quality, easily accessible performances of early music, while serving as a link between early-music professionals and various associations and communities. 

Café Barock began operating in 2010 at the Allotria restaurant in Helsinki. From there our hosted Baroque club events have spread to cafés and restaurants across the country, in part through an initiative from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland to establish and develop a network of early-music practitioners in Finland. Since 2012 Café Barock's artistic director and producer has been harpsichordist Matias Häkkinen, and in late 2012 the group's activities were established further with the foundation of the organisation Kulttuuriyhdistys Café Barock ryrun by Häkkinen, Petri Arvo and Sini Vahervuo. In 2020 Café Barock became a part of Ensemble Nylandias production platform.

Café Barock events are also an essential part of BarokkiKuopio Early Music Festival.

Contact us at cafebarock@ensemblenylandia.info