The 16th Oulu Music Festival in 2006 again combined different music styles and eras. One of the highlights of the festival was classic silent drama film Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein. In the film production the movie was combined with classical music, from symphonies of Shostakovitsh, performed by Oulu Symphony Orchestra, led by Esa Heikkilä.
Other special concerts of the year included an evening with Finnish folk music, played by Pekka Kuusisto (vionin), Anna-Mari Kähärä (accordion and vocals), Sara Puljula (double bass) and Zarkus Poussa (percussions).