Press release 13.7.2017
The Kaustinen Folk Music Festival programme is sure to have something for everyone on Friday. The performers range from About Samuli Edelmann to the most varied teams of players. Folk dance is also well represented, and one of the highlights of the night will be a folk dance group. The Hässäkän a personal and fresh interpretation Ultra Bran songs, which will be shown at the Central Ostrobothnia Arena at midnight.
How is Värttina?
On Friday, Kaustinen will also host the flagship of contemporary folk music As a cobweb. ”This summer I have even had time to take a breath,” says Mari Kaasinen, the only original member of Värttina. The band works periodically, with tours abroad in the autumn and spring, so there is also time for other work and teaching, for example. Last spring, the band was heard in Germany and the Czech Republic in addition to their home country.
At the Kaustinen show, Värttinä will perform music from their latest album Viena (2015), which is inspired by Viena Karelia. There will also be a cross-section of favourites from older albums. ”And we're sure to have party hits at the Arena, so get ready to dance,” Mari reminds us.
From the beginning, the kayak singing snooze was Värttina's trademark. ”It was our natural Karelian pajatus, straight from the spinal cord,” Mari laughs. ”Later we realised that this is how the grandmothers of the Ingria sing.”
The style and composition of Värttina has changed many times since big sister Sari Kaasinen founded the band in Rääkkylä in 1983. Mari Kaasinen sees renewal as a strength, with new musicians bringing new energy. ”We would hardly be here if there hadn't been changes along the way.”
Värttinä first conquered Kaustinen in 1985 and was voted Band of the Year in 1987. Three years later the album Oi dai was released, which broke the bank, so to speak. Värttinä really took off abroad and onto the world charts in 1992.
The next big interesting production of Värttina's women is to sing for the artistic director of the National Ballet Kenneth Greven In the Finland100-themed ballet spectacle Kalevalanmaa. There will be more than 20 performances from the beginning of November. The whole ensemble will implement the Finland100 theme in a concert series at the end of the year, including a series of concerts in the ballet halls of the city of Budapest. Laila Kinnusen and Harmony Sistersin music.
Värttina's composition is Mari Kaasinen, vocals and kantele, Susan Aho, singing, Karoliina Kantelinen, vocals, kantele and flute, Lassi Logrén, violin, Matti Laitinen, stringed instruments and Mikko Hassinen, percussion instruments.
Värttinä Fri 14.7. at 22.30-23.30 at Keskipohjanmaa Arena
New touring concept for parties
Antti Savilammen and JPP:s night atrille is one of the popular programme numbers of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, which annually attracts hundreds of dancers to participate in a low-threshold communal dance event. This year, the festival is experimenting with a new inclusive concept called Iltavilli choreographer-dance teacher Petri Kauppinen under the leadership of. ”The idea is to explore what a new kind of participatory dance happening could be,” says Kauppinen.
Of course, the auction catwalk is not going away, the great tradition will continue. But now we are looking for another concept that would bring the dance to the present day and beyond. As in the night catrille, the band will of course play an important role. The music for the evening is Maria Reikko & Best Case Scenario.
”We'll stick to folk,” Kauppinen promises. ”You could say it's a structured jam, the whole thing is lightly scripted and directed. There are different roles and characters, visitors such as... Kike de Kake Dance theatre from Tsuum. But the main thing is not the performance, just the event, and that everyone is involved in making it happen. All that is needed is a positive attitude. ”
Evening game Fri 14.7. at 00.15 from Keskipohjanmaa-areena
Pelican music from as far away as Japan
Kaustinen attracts players from near and far. Japanese gambler's band Tengon the story is the sum of funny coincidences, says their contact person Ayana Palander. Japanese guitarist Nihoko was visiting the Kaustinen festival last summer and happened to stay in the same homestay with the master dancer Antti Savilammen with. The skilled accordionist played his way into the heart of Savilampi with, among other things, the Säkkijärvi polka. This was followed by a half-hour gig on the festival's pelican stage.
Violinist of the Tengo duo, Noriko will be Nihoko's partner on a tour of Finland this summer. The women are one of the few Japanese musicians who are familiar with and fascinated by world music and with it Finnish Spielmann music. They have been playing together since the early 2000s. The women are very energetic and engaging players, even though violinist Noriko is in her seventies and guitarist Nihoko in her fifties.
Tengo in Wiljami on Fri 14.7. at 19-19.45 in Wiljami hall and Sat 15.7. at 19.45-20.30 in Iholla hall
For more information and interview requests:
Information Manager
Tove Djupsjöbacka
p. 040-6585340
press(at)kaustinen.net