Press release 10.7.2017
In Kaustinen, they are again digging up the flag stocks. The Folk Music Festival, which starts today, will feature performers from 25 countries in addition to Finland, and each day the flags of all the countries of that day's performers will be raised in the Festival Park. There will be seven days of entertainment, a wide range of music, dance and folklore. Kaustinen's stages will host, among others, the a cappella group a cappella, which has gained international fame for its folk hop music. Windstar and an original synthesis of folklore and electromusic. Suistamon Electricity. In addition to dance and music, you can make jewellery or crochet rugs, for example.
Nearly 500 Tips in the Comfort Matinee
The number of performers at Tuesday's Mukulamatineo is enough to take your breath away. From Otto's hosts a dance matinee with more than 200 folk dancers, and the Näppäreide matinee is already attracting a staggering number of performers.
”We already have 375 national performers registered,” says Training Officer Anni Järvelä. ”Plus 65 foreign guests, plus teachers and mat workers, and we end up with around 490 performers. That's quite a lot of ice cream ordered!”
The Näppäri celebrate Finland's independence with the Kamukutsu, which has invited international guests from Estonia, Norway, England and Sweden to Kaustinen. The international friends will perform together with the Näppärei and on their own during the first days of the festival. As is traditional, the theme years will appear in Näppäreide's repertoire with their own songs, and this will also be the case in the Finland 100 anniversary year.
”This year the new song is called Marski's Boot. Mauno Järvelä has made the words and Aili Järvelä music. The song is about Mannerheim's horse, and the lyrics also deal with the early stages of Finnish history,” Anni Järvelä says.
Mukulamatinea I: Ottoset and his friends, Tuesday 11.7. at 13:00 at Keskipohjanmaa Arena
Mukulamatinea II: The Tricksters and their friends, Tue 11.7. at 17:00 at Keskipohjanmaa Arena
The fate of Mannerheim's horse is moving, Käthy plays Iivari the horse
The Kaustinen Folk Music Festival features many art forms, including theatre. Antti Huntus the monologue Mannerheim's Horse is based on the story of Marski's warhorse, Käthy, and will be performed twice during the festival.
The monologue is the speech of a grieving forager to a horse that has been given the order to kill. Marski's favourite mare was enjoying a peaceful retirement in the stables of the defence establishment in Ypäjä, when orders came down from headquarters that the horse must be put down. It is reported that a forage master had locked himself and Käthy in the stable for two hours and would not let the men carrying out the nasty operation in. Eventually, however, Käthy had to be released to the blissful hunting grounds.
Antti Huntus was fascinated by the story of Käthy and the forage master, who wrote and dramatised it with the actor Panu Valoto a monologue.
”The performance is a tangle of peasant stories and it also contains magical elements,” Huntus says. Musician Matias Tyni creates a soundscape for the performance with a variety of instruments, including kantele, accordion, mandolin, guitar and chimes. The lights and sounds are provided by Joni Huttunen. ”Steering has been a team effort with these experts,” says Huntus. A special atmosphere is created by the installations made of horse equipment in Mauno's dormitory, which are the work of an architecture student. Jussi Kalliokoski handwriting.
But who is Käthy in the play?
”Käthya is presented by Iivari from Kaustinen Trotting School,” Antti reveals, ”The horse has its own stall built for it and has its own handler for safety reasons. The exercises have gone well.”
The monologue will be a treat for the few, as Mauno's dormitory can only accommodate 70 people.
Mannerheim's Horse, Mon 10.7. at 19.30 and Tue 11.7. at 14.00, Mauno's Macauseum
Konsta Jylhä competition on instrumental folk music for small ensembles
The early days of the Folk Music Festival will also see the Konsta Jylhä competition at Pelimannitalo. This year's theme is instrumental folk music by small ensembles, and twelve ensembles were selected from the initial qualifying round to take part in the competition. The jury consists of Hannu Saha (chairman), Heikki Laitinen and Kimmo Pohjonen. The competition is organised by Pelimannitalo in collaboration with the Folk Music Institute, and prizes totalling €10 000 will be awarded.
The competitors are Duo Holopainen Ojajärvi (Maija Holopainen and Janne Ojajärvi), Duo Selina (Hanna Ryynänen and Sanni Virta), Elsa Krohn (Teemu Eerola, Antti Korhola and Sanna Salonen), Halia (Ella Isotalo, Emmi Kuittinen and Sanne Tschirpke), Kauhikko (Leena Hirvonen and Ella Isotalo), Luomuduo (Sakari Keipi and Olli Sippola), Mellersta Stringbotten (Otto Kentala and Eino Kolppanen), MäSä-duo (Kyösti Järvelä and Lauri Kotamäki) NBB (Mikko Malmivaara, Joonas Ojajärvi and Esa Satomaa), Pohjola Project (Timo Alakotila, Pauliina Pajala and Antti Pohjola), Poja! (Esko Grundström, Tero Pajunen and Tomas Takolander) and Terhi & Juho (Terhi Puronaho and Juho Puronaho).
Konsta Jylhä competition preliminary rounds today 10.7. at 19, finals Tuesday 11.7. at 16 at Pelimannitalo
Arrive early, places are limited!
For more information and interview requests:
Information Manager
Tove Djupsjöbacka
p. 040-6585340
press(at)kaustinen.net