In 2002 Oulu Music Festival had a new artistic director, pianist Mika Rännäli, who then lived in New York, but has roots in Oulu. The theme of Rännäli´s first festival was built around breezes from the new world, music from the Latin America.
The performing artists of the festival included names like pianist Vanessa Cunha, cellist Marko Ylönen and well as Mika Rännäli himself. Friends of jazz, or tango, were pampered with a concert by Hurmio-Orkesteri ensemble, that played jazz versions of famous Finnish tangos by Olavi Virta.