12 years and under
1. Janina Suihkola, Sievi 191 p
2. Sonja Lampinen, Saarijärvi 184,5 p
3. Veikka Jänkävaara, Rauma 174 p

15 years and under
1. Aleksi Laukkonen, Kauhava 195,5 p
2. Sami Salonen, Lohja 181,5 p
3. Essi Elomäki, Pori 177,5 p

18 years and under
1. Anniina Luukkainen, Kitee 184 p
2. Juuso Vesterinen, Taipalsaari 176 p
3. Pinja Liljavirta, Mäntsälä 155 p

Open
1. Hannu Hänninen, Lahti 183 p
2. Pekka Jolkkonen Polvijärvi 177,5 p

Vetrans (50 years and over)
1. Glenn Qvarnström, Espoo, 189,5 p
2. Ahti Similä, Inari 176,5 p
3. Seppo Onali, Heinola 171 p

 
Tan Jia Liang from China has won the VIII Primus Ikalinen Competition in an exciting musical run-off with seven other superb International performers including contestants from: Russia: Utkina Ekaterina, France: Elsa Gourdy, Moldavia: Dorin Grama, Kazacstan: Shamgar Tolkynhan, China: Tan jia Liang, Germany: Radu Laxgang, Lithuania: Martinas Levickis and Henriikka Santamaa, Finland.

The International Primus Ikaalinen Accordion Competition is already known around the world, in its eighth year, through live TV broadcasts. It is a uniquely composed accordion show / competition, where young world class performers will become known to a worldwide audience, as they perform a live broadcast show, accessable via the Internet.

The First Primus in 2005 was won by the Spanish Idoia Laburu from the Basque Country. In the following years the winners’ list has been made by Dmitri Saussard, France, Julien Gonzales, France, Mario D’Amario, Italy, Grayson Masefield, New Zealand, Pietro Adragna, Italy and last summer Cory Pesaturo, USA. Finnish musicians have also been quite successful, the most successful being Sami Hopponen, who came second with his memorable “duel” with the French Julien Gonzales in the summer of 2007.

The Primus Ikaalinen contest has eight musicians from eight countries. The competitors are selected during the previous winter, from a number of other competitions and festivals, as well as an open enrolment basis. The players will bring to the Primus from their own country a dash of colour from their own national music, which makes the event even more interesting. Primus Ikaalinen is definitely one of the Sata-Häme Soi Festival highlights, with its warm and happy international atmosphere. At the Primus one can feel how the music connects all people and language barriers are non-existent.

The 2012 contestants are:

Russia: Utkina Ekaterina
France: Elsa Gourdy
Moldova: Dorin Grama
Kazakshtan: Shamgar Tolkynhan
China: Tan jia Liang
Germany: Radu Laxgang
Lithuania: Martinas Levickis
Finland: Henriikka Santamaa

Membes of the International Jury:

• Kevin Friedrich, USA/USA juryn puheenjohtaja/president of the jury
  Kansainvälisen harmonikkaliiton CIA:n pitkäaikainen puheenjohtaja ja nykyinen ambassador.
• Frederic Deschamps, France
• Grayson Masefield, New Zealand
  
• Yulia Amerikova, Venäjä/Russia
• Jörgen Sundeqvist, Sweden
• Kaisa Kujanpää, Suomi/Finland
  
• Juryn sihteeri ja avustaja/secretary Aino Ojakoski

Jari Puhakka (conductor-piano), Jarmo Nikku (guitar), Seppo Helin (keyboard), Risto Salmi (wood winds), Jari Heino (bass) and Miri Miettinen (drums) ready for the sound test rehearsals with the contestants.