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 FORUM BOX

A Monday evening concert series held at Forum Box Gallery, a non-profit artist-run co-operative society, which was initiated in 1996 by sculptor Kain Tapper (1930–2004). Forum Box’s main purpose is to maintain an art space in Helsinki in order to enrich and support the Finnish cultural life. Café Barock concerts are held among the settings of the gallerys contemporary art exhibitions, giving the concerts delightfully imaginative backgrounds.

Mon 18.8.2025  /  Forum Box / Café Barock: In shadow of a green oke tree
Eloisa Consort, viola da gambas

Mon 15.9.2025  /  Forum Box / Café Barock: 4 flutes, 4 centuries
Ilkka Eronen, flutes

Mon 20.10.2025  /  Forum Box / Café Barock: Growing Roots
Sini Vahervuo, flutes & Laura Ollberg-Ekman, harpsichord

Sat 8.11.2025 / Forum Box / Café Barock: Oblica Ensemble

Café Barock STUDIO PITKÄNSILLANRANTA

Concert series for both traditional and more adventurous branches of early music in an intimate home concert setting with a view towards the Botanical Garden. Held in photographer Tuomas Tenkanen’s Studio Pitkänsillanranta, a cosy multifunctional event space in the heart of Helsinki.

Fri 10.10.2025 / Studio Pitkänsillanranta / Café Barock: Nokkahuiluguru
Eero Saunamäki, recorders

Café Barock - VANHAN MUSIIKIN UUDET TOIVOT
(The New hopes 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.

Wed 22.10.2025 at 13:00
Wed 19.11.2025 at 13:00
Wed 17.12.2025 at 13:00

Café Barock TAMPERE

In the city of Tampere the Café Barock Tampere concert series is organized by the Tampereen vanhan musiikin ystävät association since 2014. From 2024 onwards the concerts are mainly organized in the beautifully unique Museum Milavida.

Sun 17.8.2025 at 15:00
Sun 21.9.2025at 15:00
Fri 26.10.2025 at 15:00
Sun 9.11.2025 at 15:00

Fancy some Early Music in your event?

In addition to these Café Barock concert series, 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, street corners, cruise ships and swimming halls via Café Barock concert series. Café Barock's objective is to enrich 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 ry run 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