The Encounters Club is open to all and free of charge
Eva Ballaz, violin
Liam Mansfield, violin
Ulla Knuuttila, viola
Beata Antikainen, cello
Mirka Viitala, piano
Erkki Suomalainen, host
The Encounters Club delves into musical riddles. In the spirit of the Enigma Variations, a piano quintet assembled from HPO musicians performs a set of more or less misleading pieces, the composers of which are perhaps not the most obvious choice. The host for the evening is bassoonist Erkki Suomalainen, who will reveal the connections behind the pieces.
The Encounters Club is open to all and free of charge, and it takes place on Fridays around once a month in the main foyer of the Helsinki Music Centre.
Free admission – welcome! The programme begins at 8pm after the evening’s concert, and the café is open until 9:30pm.
Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri
Free entry /
Coffee or drinks?
Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri
WebsiteFree entry
Coffee or drinks?
Order refreshmentsHow about a cup of coffee, a bite to eat or a glass of bubbly during the interval? Order your drinks in advance to beat the queues and make the most of your concert visit.
Our location could not be more central or easier to get to. Almost all forms of Helsinki public transport stop right outside our doors, cycle parking is provided at all our entrances, and Aimo Park Finlandia, our nearest multi-storey car park, offers lift access directly to our main foyer.
Cloakroom
We ask you to leave your coat and any larger items in the cloakroom. The charge is 2 euros. You can pay with a bank or credit card if you don’t have cash with you. You can also pay the cloakroom in advance when buying your ticket.
Latecomers
Latecomers will be asked to wait until a suitable break in the performance or admitted after the interval.
Photography
You are not permitted to record concert performances at Helsinki Music Centre. However, you may take photographs before and after the concert and during applause. Individual concert organisers may have their own, more detail guidance regarding recording and photography.
Dress code
We’re happy to say we have no dress code at Helsinki Music Centre, and we positively encourage you to come as you are. However, we would be grateful if you could avoid wearing strong perfume during your visit so that people with asthma and fragrance sensitivity can enjoy our concerts symptom free.
At Helsinki Music Centre we are proud to be an accessible and welcoming place for everyone. Tactile handrails and signage have been fitted across the building, and there are tactile indicator strips on the floor too to guide partially sighted and blind visitors. Induction loops are always available, and guide or companion dogs are of course permitted within the building.
Concert Hall
The route to your seat is always printed on your ticket. Check the door number to find out which entrance to take. The seating areas are marked with letters. There is level access to all wheelchair seats from the main entrances. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with our venue – our staff are always on hand to help you find your seat.
Black Box, Camerata and Sonore
Use the row number printed on your ticket to find your seat. Wheelchair seats are situated on the same level as the entrance. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with our venue – our staff area always on hand to help you find your seat.
Unallocated seating
Please choose your seat on the day.
Book tickets for 10–20 or more people is by contacting group sales service by email at ryhmat@musiikkitalo.fi or by telephone on 020 707 0426 (Monday to Friday, 10:00–14:00).