“A compelling performance of a piece that demands virtuosic technique, physical stamina, and a poetic touch marked the breakthrough of a new piano talent.”— Aamulehti
The charming winner of the 2025 Tampere Piano Competition, Samuel Eriksson is regarded as one of the most compelling young Finnish pianists of his generation. He is a versatile artist whose artistic growth the Mänttä audience has been able to follow since his early teenage years.
Eriksson began his piano studies at the Turku Conservatory under the guidance of Niklas Pokki (Founder and Artistic Director of the Mänttä Music Festival). Between 2013 and 2021, he also studied at the Youth Piano Academy. During his time there, he participated in master classes led by numerous internationally renowned pianists, such as Richard Goode, Nikolai Luganski, and Claudio Martinez-Mehner.
He is currently pursuing his studies at the Sibelius Academy, led by Antti Hotti and Kirill Kozlovski. Alongside his work as a pianist, Eriksson is also an accomplished clarinetist, something that is reflected in his musicianship through an exceptional sensitivity to sound, refined musical imagination and strong chamber music instincts. He has even performed with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra as both a pianist and a clarinetist on the same evening once.
Winning the Tampere Piano Competition in spring 2025 brought Eriksson to the attention of a wider audience. In addition to the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, he has performed as a soloist with Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and several other Finnish orchestras, and has performed at festivals both in Finland and abroad. in parallel with his solo work, Eriksson is an active chamber musician and lied pianist. He has worked as a part of multiple projects around the world in Italy, United States, Norway, and France, to name a few.
In addition to his success at the Tampere Piano Competition, Eriksson has also received awards in competitions such as the national Leevi Madetoja Piano Competition, the international Nordic Piano Competition in Sweden, and the Steinway Piano Competition. He also won first prize as a clarinetist at the Finnish national wind instrument competition in Huittinen.
The programme in Mänttä reflects the breadth and versatility of Eriksson’s artistry. The programme forms a whole in which virtuosity, structural clarity and expressive intensity are brought together in compelling balance. The concert also features the world premiere of Robert Ruohola’s Turkulainen sarja.
See more on the artist's website!