When darkness falls by mid-afternoon, it is time to light the first candle. Vox Polaris invites you to our concert in which the awaiting Christmas finds its voice.

The concert presents choral music from Finland, Europe and America. It offers a musical cross-section of how Advent and the anticipating for Christmas have been lived in churches and cathedrals, homes and schools through the centuries. The oldest text heard in the concert dates from the 8th century, while the newest melodies are music of our own time.

The concert opens with a candlelight procession to the old German carol Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. The journey leads through the Renaissance masters Josquin des Prez and Michael Praetorius to the songs of Piae Cantiones and the Spanish villancicos, and on to a Finnish winter evening and the light of Santa Lucia. The evening closes with Morten Lauridsen’s radiant Ubi caritas et amor, a song of love and community that lingers long after the last chord.

The programme combines the Advent’s beloved favourites with rarer repertoire. The concerts are conducted by the choir’s artistic director Jaana Turunen.

• Sat 28 Nov 2026 at 2 pm Maaninka Church
• Sat 28 Nov 2026 at 5 pm Kuopio Cathedral
• Sun 29 Nov 2026 at 3 pm Leppävirta Church (First Sunday of Advent)

Duration approx. one hour. Free admission, voluntary programme fee 10 €. In Maaninka the parish offers the programmes free of charge.

Welcome to wait for Christmas with us!

We thank the Kallavesi Parish of Kuopio, the Kuopio Cathedral Parish and the Leppävirta Parish for their cooperation in making these Advent concerts possible.