Old Forest Echoes (Ikimetsän kaiku) is the vision of internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Barbora Xu (Barbora Šilhánová), grown out of the desire to protect the old-growth forests of Finland. After four months of artistic research in Finland’s old-growth forests, Barbora now brings her nature-inspired music to urban audiences as an immersive indoor experience. With kantele, Chinese zither and voice at its core, and accompanied by forest video and sound, the concert brings the atmosphere of Finnish old-growth forests into the city.
The performance takes place within an indoor forest installation made from natural materials by environmental artist Tommi Laine. A soundscape installation by Mikko Haapoja combines field recordings from Barbora’s time in the forest with footage captured by cinematographer Ville Tanttu.
The 60-minute concert is complemented on Saturday by a pre-performance talk on Finnish old-growth forests by Luontoliitto forest expert Milla Aalto, and on Sunday by music workshops for different audiences, including a longer session for adults and a shorter workshop for families with children.
In the Old Forest Echoes workshops, Barbora continues the themes of the performance within the same immersive setting. During the 90- or 45-minute sessions, we will explore, listen, and connect with the atmosphere of old-growth forests through a guided sensory journey.
Performing group/artists
Barbora Šilhánová (music alyas Barbora Xu, director, nature music artist)
Mikko H. Haapoja (soundscape installation and sound technician)
Ville Tanttu (video projections)
Tommi Laine (environmental artist, indoors forest installation)
Milla Aalto (forest expert)
Carly Markkanen (producer)
Supported by Kone Foundation in collaboration with Luontoliitto
The workshop languages are Finnish and English.
Saturday 18:30 - 18:50; Introduction to old-growth forests (a talk by our forest expert open for all concert visitors)
19.00 – 20.00: Forest introduction & concert.
Tickets: 7/15 euro
Sunday 13.00 – 13.45: Family workshop. combines a forest expert's introduction into old-growth forest together with playful and engaging forest-inspired musical activities, open to participants of all ages (optional)
14.00 – 15.00: Forest introduction Concert.
Tickets: 7/15 euro
15.15 – 16.15: Workshop for general audiences
After the concert, join us for a short introduction by a forest expert, outlining key differences between old-growth and industrial forests. This is followed by a guided workshop sensory journey, where participants move through the space, interact with natural materials through sound, and reflect on their impressions. The workshop weaves together ecological insight, participatory listening, and sound-based exploration. Barbora also shares insights into her creative process in natural environments (optional)
Artist bios:
Barbora Xu Bio
Award-winning Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist Barbora Xu (Barbora Šilhánová) moved to Finland in 2014, composing with local poetry, string instruments and vocal techniques. Her work is grounding, fragile and delicate, deeply inspired by nature of the Finnish sea and old growth forests. In 2025, Barbora was awarded the Mention of International Jury at the world music festival of Andrea Parodi in Sardinia. Her latest album The Garden of Otava from a Finnish seashore forest was shortlisted in the nominations for the Czech music awards, the Angels 2025.
Mikko H. Haapoja
Mikko H. Haapoja (MuM) is a composer, music producer and sound artist specializing in capturing the changing soundscape of metropolises and old forests around the globe. The soundscape collage Central Forest from the project The Routes of Helsinki represented Finland in the EBU’s Prix Palma Ars Acustica competition for radio art in 2023.
Tommi Laine
Environmental and community artist Tommi Laine has been using collaborative work to seek new meaning for the words we use to express reality, treating the experiential knowledge connecting us as a bridge to human collective identity as a learning species. Tommi received the Varkaus City Cultural Awards in 2008, held countless workshops and been practising various forms of visual arts including landart and blacksmithing.
Ville Tanttu
Ville Tanttu is a filmmaker, both cinematographer and director. He draws his inspiration from the nature and the spiritual quest of the human. He is Helsinki based and has been working the last 25 years on both documentary and fictional films.
Websites and social media accounts of the performers:
Old Forest Echoes:
https://oldforestechoes.com/https://www.facebook.com/oldforestechoesInstagram: @oldforestechoes
Barbora Xu:
https://www.barboraxu.com/https://www.facebook.com/barboraxumusicInstagram: @barboraxu.music
Ville Tanttu:
https://www.villetanttu.com/Mikko Haapoja:
www.mikkohaapoja.netInstagram: @mhaapoja
Luontoliitto:
https://luontoliitto.fi/toimintaryhma/metsaryhma/Instagram: @metsaryhma
