Finnish composer Tytti Arola has been nominated for the Gaudeamus Award 2026. Her work will feature prominently during the Gaudeamus Festival 2026, in September in Utrecht.

The Gaudeamus Award is a prestigious annual incentive award for young composers. It offers the winner a commission to compose a new work and a premiere at the upcoming Gaudeamus Festival (Utrecht, The Netherlands). The award has historically served as a springboard for many composers, offering visibility, international contacts, and opportunities to bring new sounds and experimental works to a wider audience. The other nominees for the 2026 award are Xingyi Betty Chen (Hong Kong), Rodrigo Pascale (Brazil), and Anibal Vidal (Chile).

Tytti Arola's nomination joins a group of many promising young composers and continues the tradition of Finnish composers in the competition. Over the years, the prize has been won by Finnish composers Sampo Haapamäki (2004) and Sebastian Hilli (2018). Haapamäki's victory highlighted innovative perspectives on microtonal music, while Hilli's victory brought the young composer international attention and numerous commissions.