Walking around Kaustinen festivals, I often think that this person has always been here. Armin Mäkelän this is pretty much true. Armi has been to all but two festivals in the last two years, 48 times.
- With my father, Armi says. Dad, the master gambler Voitto Mäkelä played and taught in folk music courses and, of course, his offspring were involved. Armi remembers spending at least six consecutive summers in Kaustinen for two weeks: first a week of courses, then a week of festivals.
The Pelimanns' collective play in 1973. Photo by Armi Mäkilä.
- In addition to Father-Voito, the courses were taught by. Jorma Panula, Vesa Pentti and a host of prestigious players, including Konsta Jylhä and Antti Vesterinen, Armi recalls. In addition to domestic pelican music, the courses also included a lot of music from other cultures. And of course, the festival showed the wide range of world music and instruments live and up close.
- In Kaustinen, I realised already as a child that the world is full of different wonderful cultures," says Armi. At the same time, it also sparked the desire to travel for music, but it's handy that an international festival like Kaustinen can offer a week of great cultural coverage right at home in Finland.
His interest in music drove him to study musicology, first at the University of Jyväskylä (1978) and then a year later at the University of Tampere, where he completed a degree in musicology in a subject called folklore, especially folk music, now known as ethnomusicology. While studying musicology, Armi also studied to become a speech therapist, when she thought that she could not live by playing the horn.
- My first professional in Tampere was Erkki Ala-Könni, with whom I once got to play on the same stage in Kaustinen. It was a performance of ancient music, Armi laughs. According to the photos, the year was 1980.
Musicians marched onto the Kaustinen stage for a performance of ancient music. From left Simo Westerholm, Ilkka Kolehmainen, Heikki Laitinen, Hannu Saha, followed by Armi Mäkelä with a horn. Photo.
- One of the best memories of Kaustis is definitely Primo, our own band in the 1980s. It was made up of folk music students, as well as myself. Hannu and Johanna Saha and Rauno Nieminen. One year around that time we also had a duo together Pekka-I played the crank and Pekka the bass," Armi smiles.
In later years, Armi has been an interested and selective listener among the Kaustinen audience.
- You need to study the programme carefully and choose in advance what you want to see and experience. Sometimes you can just lie on the grass and let chance dictate.
The best thing to happen in Kaustinen in recent years?
- The fact that young people took charge of the festival and the vegetarian food!
Festival people 3/6
For the Festival People series Merja Lahti interviewed a few people, each with their own history and perspective on the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. The series introduces more or less familiar characters that you have met and will meet over the years in Kaustinen.