Press release 13.1.2017
In Kaustby, the 50-year-old festival will be celebrated with inspiration from history but with a strong focus on the future. Enligt festårets Kalas-tema bjuder vi på århundradets fest med mångsidigt program och med inslag av regionalala festtraditioner. In this way, the festival is linked to the celebration of 100 years of Finland.
Årets band, Gájanas
Till årets ensemble 2017 har man valt det unga Gaianas from Enare which represents modern Swedish music. The band's music is a fresh combination of different styles of music, improvisation and traditional jazz. Frontwoman Hilda Länsman, a student at the Sibelius Academy at the University of Konstun, follows her mother, Ulla Pirttijärvi, who started a solo career after Angel's Girl, in exploring and developing the Sami music tradition. Together with Länsman, the virtuoso brothers Nicholas and Kevin Francett and Erkki Feodoroff create a ljudlandskap med inslag av progressiv rock och grunge. Även de överraskande kombinationerna smälter harmoniskt samman med Länsman jojkar. Genom att välja Gaianas till årets ensemble, Kaustinen Folk Music Festival wants to promote the preservation of Sami culture, music and Sami traditions, as well as Sami national days and their centuries-old history.
Utöver Gájanas får vi se den ljusstarkaste kvinnokvartetten inom amerikansk folk, Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards; från en liten by i Venezuela kommer den karismatiska och skickliga ensemblen Betsayda Machado & La Parranda el Clavo for the first time in Europe; together with the ”musiktornadon”, the "music tornado" Fiddlers’ Bid från Shetlandsöarna uppträder vår finska motsvarighet - virtuosa Frigg. Estonia's most popular party band Trad.Attack! inleder Estonia's 100th anniversary of independence in Kaustby. Among the local artists we can listen to vocal folk hop bands such as Windstar which was part of the showcase series in 2013 and which now tours the world, Niko Kumpuvaara's folk orchestra with Paula Koivuniemi som solist samt Kaustbys legendariska Folk music, Prussian Hook och snart 20 år gamla Tötterssön i en en gemensam konsert. Among the artists on the children's album are Timo Parvela's Flavour and Bunny-reporting consert and Satu Sopanen & Tutti Orchestra. Legendary Helvi Jukarainen's choreographies come to life in a folk dance concert created by a folk singer from the mästerfolkdansaren Hannu Nipuli. Vi väntar igen på hundratals spelmansgrupper, och Thunder Bay Pelimannit from Ontario, Canada and Sons of America from the Fifteen States is certainly among those with the longest way home.
Till sommarens showcase-serie 2017 har vi valt tre band bland flera kandidater. Marko Siekkinen & Toivoniemi Reserve kommer från Uleåborg och tolkar levnadshistorier med sin bluegrass- och folkmusik. Duo Systrami consistår av ett tvillingpar från Norra Sverige och harmonin i deras musik kan höras såväl i arrangemangen och i tolkningarna. Perpetuum Locomobile är skickliga musikers moderna vision om världsmusikens ljudlandskap mitt i kaoset.
The åttonde riksomfattande Konsta Jylhä-tävlingen will be held at the festival on 10.-11.7.2017. This year's event is intended for small groups (2-4 persons) and will only consist of one series, unlike in previous years. The music in the event should be folk music, mostly in traditional or modern style. Even modern music must have a strong link to tradition. The event is organised by Spelmanshuset i Kaustby (Kaustinen Pelimannitalo) in cooperation with the Folk Music Institute and the performances will be presented at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. The total prize is €10 000.
Ytterligare information:
Anne-Mari Hakamäki, programme manager
040 358 2446
anne-mari.hakamaki(a)kaustinen.net