Naantali is one of the oldest and most highly-esteemed of the Finnish music festivals. The repertoire focuses on chamber music in all its variety. Each year the programme is further enhanced by recitals by top world artists and visits by celebrated orchestras.
The Naantali Music Festival is renowned for its high artistic standard, its idyllic concert venues and its timing at the beginning of June, marking the start of the Finnish festival season. The high quality of the festival has been taken into account internationally.
From the very beginning festival was spesialized in chamber music.The first Naantali Music Festival was held in June 1980, on the initiative of the distinguished cellist Arto Noras.
The first concert was played in Naantali Church with melodies by Mozart, Vivaldi and Brahms. Over the years, more than 700 front-line artists and almost 100 chamber music ensembles and orchestras from Finland and abroad have performed at the festival.
The President of the Republic of Finland is the patron of the Naantali Music Festival. Presidents Martti Ahtisaari and Tarja Halonen are honorary members of the Naantali Music Festival.