Pianist Laura Mikkola to replace Andreas Haefliger
Pianist Andreas Haefliger was scheduled to perform as the soloist with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in the Striking the Keys concerts on Wednesday 18 March 2026 and Thursday 19 March 2026. Haefliger has unfortunately had to cancel his visit to Finland, and pianist Laura Mikkola will perform in his place. Despite the change, the concert programme remains the same: Laura Mikkola will perform the solo part of Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor.
Laura Mikkola, who lives in Paris, began her career as an internationally acclaimed pianist before the age of twenty. By then she had won the Maurice Ravel Competition in Paris in 1988, the Maj Lind Competition in Finland in 1992, and the Unisa Transnet Competition in South Africa in 1994. She also received the audience prize and second prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels in 1995, and was awarded the Finland Prize for young artists the same year.
Since her competition years, Mikkola has collaborated with major orchestras and many of the world’s most renowned conductors, including Esa-Pekka Salonen, Hannu Lintu, Paavo Järvi and Ahmed El-Saedi. She has appeared as a soloist with, among others, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Washington Symphony Orchestra and the Munich Philharmonic. In addition to her extensive touring in Europe, she has performed in Japan, China and the Middle East.
Alongside her active concert career, Mikkola has recorded both classical repertoire and works by contemporary composers. She is particularly known as a profound interpreter of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s music.
In 2023, Laura Mikkola became the first Finnish female pianist to be named a Steinway Artist in Hamburg. Steinway & Sons awards this distinction only to the most significant pianists of their era. In spring 2025, Mikkola was invited to serve on the jury of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition in Brussels.
Laura Mikkola has been the artistic soul and director of the Iitti Music Festival since its founding in 2003. Thanks to her extensive international network, the festival has welcomed numerous leading musicians and composers to Iitti over the years.
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra’s Striking the Keys concert will be broadcast live on Thursday 19 March 2026 at 19:00. Tickets for Wednesday’s concert are available here, and for Thursday’s concert here.
Striking the keys
Wed 18/3/2026 and Thu 19/3/2026 at 7PM Musiikkitalo, Helsinki
Michael Sanderling, conductor
Laura Mikkola, piano
- Lili Boulanger: D'un matin de printemps
- Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor
- Johannes Brahms / Arnold Schönberg: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor