Jouko Harjanne, the artistic director of Lieksa Vasviikko, is one of the world's most renowned trumpet soloists in classical music. He has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras all over the world and has recorded with, among others, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Jouko Harjanne has been the principal trumpet player of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra for decades.

Touko Lundell, who studied trumpet at Tampere Conservatory, has been the principal trumpet of the Finnish National Opera Orchestra since 1985 and of the Savonlinna Opera Festival Orchestra since 1986.

Tomi Nietula has worked as a trumpet teacher at Lahti Music Institute since 1997. Born in Nivala, he studied in Jokilaakso Music Academy and later, via the Maliskylä brass band and the Oulainen wind orchestra, in Päijät-Häme Conservatory in Lahti, where he graduated as a trumpet teacher in 1999.

Originally from Oulu, conductor and trumpet teacher Anna-Leena Lumme graduated with honors in wind conducting from the Sibelius Academy in 2013, studying under Peter Ettrup Larsen. She has participated in masterclasses with Juha Törmä, Atso Almila, and Jorma Panula, among others.

Composer, pianist and conductor Tuomas Turriago (b.1979) is known especially as an experienced chamber musician and chamber music composer. His work as a musician is characterised by his great versatility and love of music, which encompasses almost all genres. 

Finland-based euphonium-trombone player Mizuho Kojima grew up in Tokyo, and moved to Finland to study with Jukka Myllys at the Sibelius Academy. Alongside her performing career, she is a dedicated educator, teaching at the Käpylä Music Institute and North Helsinki Music Institute, where she shares her knowledge and inspires the next generation of brass musicians.

Elisa Korhonen is a singer, musician and music pedagogue from Lieksa. Currently studying for master’s degree in the Music Education department at the Sibelius Academy, Elisa has performed in many different types of musical productions and concerts.

Ville Hiilivirta (born 1984) is a Finnish horn player. He has been playing the horn since he was nine years old. He can also play a little piano, but not as well as he would like. Hiilivirta works as the horn principal in the Helsinki City Orchestra. However, he does not have any subordinates or secretaries.

Andreas Martin Hofmeir is a professor of tuba at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg. A versatile artist who combines different musical styles, he is also a founding member of the Bavarian cult band LaBrassBanda, works as a conductor and has received numerous awards as a cabaret artist and musician.

Marjo Riihimäki completed her post-graduate diploma studies in orchestral conducting at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki. She is known as a determined, energetic, captivating – and if the music demands – swinging conductor.

Anssi Kinnunen (b. 1983) is a horn player from Kotka, Finland, who works with the Thüringer Symphoniker in Germany. In addition to his orchestral work, he teaches at many horn courses.

Petri Piiparinen has been playing percussion instruments for over 27 years. He graduated from the Sibelius Academy in 2021. Currently, Petri works as the percussion principal of the Finnish National Opera Orchestra and, from 2023, as the percussion principal of the Avanti Chamber Orchestra.

Helsinki Police Symphonic Band is the official representative orchestra of the Finnish police, based in the Special Operations Unit of the Helsinki Police Department. It performs nationwide, bringing music to communities across Finland.

Inspired by the Lieksa Brass Week, the brass quintet Kolibri consists of Finland’s top brass musicians, three of whom have previously won the Lieksa Brass Week International Competition. At the Lieksa Brass Week, Kolibri will perform with the captivating singer Elisa Korhonen and the talented percussionist Petri Piiparinen.

Suomi-seitsikko is a septet representing the elite of Finnish brass music, featuring our country's top international talents. The ensemble consists of virtuosos: Eb cornetist Jouko Harjanne, Bb cornetists Esko Heikkinen and Aki Välimäki, alto horn master Visa Haarala, tenor horn virtuoso Kasperi Sarikoski, euphonium expert Jukka Myllys, and Miika Jämsä, leading name in tuba playing.

Founded in 2004 by Begüm Gökmen, Golden Horn Brass is Türkiye's first and longest-running brass quintet. The group says it has "woven its music like a golden cloth with the most delicate and crystalline tones". Golden Horn Brass is a master of Piazzola and Mozart, but the program also includes captivating Turkish music!