European Capitals of Culture 2026
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Similar to earlier years, we would like to call to your attention the European Capitals of Culture. The host cities for 2026 are Oulu in Finland and Trenčín in Slovakia. Offering a varied program, each city is focusing on a specific theme throughout the year, while showcasing its unique cultural characteristics.
The “Euroopan kulttuuripääkaupunki” Oulu is located in the western part of Finland, and comprises the city of Oulu as well as 39 surrounding municipalities. Oulu is the northernmost major city in the European Union and the fifth-largest city in Finland. The organizers have adopted “Cultural Climate Change” as a motto for their rich program. The musical events focus primarily on the present and the recent past. The screaming men’s choir (Mieskuoro Huutajat) and the Qstock rock festival could not have been missing from the annual program, but this week the focus is on chamber music, thanks to the Oulunsalo Soi festival. The annual Air Guitar World Championships has gained quite a bit of fame; this year, it will be held on 28–29 August 2026, as part of the Delta Life Grand Finale.
The “Európske hlavné mesto kultúry” Trenčín is located in northwestern Slovakia, near the border with the Czech Republic. Its history dates back to the Stone Age. The city takes its name from the medieval castle that sits atop a hill, well visible from afar. The cultural program is centered around the idea of “Curiosity” and forges diverse connections: between past, present, and future – between people – between imagination and reality. An upcoming highlight is the concert by the Perchta Choir from Český Krumlov at the Piarist Church, but the Summer Classical Music Festival – which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year – also offers several interesting events at the Kursalon.
Both Capitals of Culture are already represented in the RISM database, though we very much hope to see many more composers, related persons, as well as musical sources added in the future, which could shed more light on the music life of Oulu and Trenčín.
Amalie Classàn of Oulu appears as dedicatee on a copy that Charles Schwencke had prepared of his Six Divertissemens en forme de Marches pour le Piano à quatre mains, Op. 60 (RISM Catalog | RISM Online). Also worth mentioning is the composer Erik Tulindberg, who lived in Oulu for several years, although his Violin Concerto in B-flat major, Op. 1/1 (RISM Catalog | RISM Online), was likely composed before his Oulu years. The third member of the trio is the Oulu-born clergyman Frans Michael Franzén, who is known as the lyricist of a Lappish song (RISM Catalog | RISM Online).
For Trenčín, RISM lists various copies and autographs from parish churches and the Piarist monastery (RISM Catalog | RISM Online). These provide a small glimpse into the city’s musical history, although the manuscripts have since been transferred to institutions outside Trenčín. Notable examples include an offertory by the Czech composer Tobiáš František Fučik, two litanies by the Austrian composer Amandus Ivanschiz, and one mass each by the German Benedictine monk Franz Bühler, Peter von Winter, and Vicenzo Righini. Furthermore, the autograph of Anton Selecký’s Smutné oči krásne oči for voice and piano (1938) was also written in Trenčín.
Image: Frans Mikael Franzén, Poet, Bishop. Painting by Lars Svensson Sparrgren; Photo: Per-Åke Persson / Nationalmuseum, CC-Lizenz: CC BY-SA- 4.0
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