Three new master players have been announced for 2019 at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival: Toivo Rajala, Lappajärvi (vocals), Ritva Talvitie, Kaustinen (violin,) and Aimo Ruisniemi, Raisio (harmonica).
Since 1970, 148 players have now been awarded the title of champion player in Kaustinen. For the first time, four violinists were awarded the title: Konsta Jylhä from Kaustinen, Kustaa Järvinen from Eura, Otto Hotakainen from Halsua and Tuure Niskanen from Pielavede.
The new champion players were announced on Monday 52. Kaustinen Festival's opening ceremony:
Shopkeeper Toivo Rajala is a renowned bellman, mandolin player and entertainer whose first instrument as a child was a comb. Later he added violin, two-string accordion, harmonica and mandolin. He has had an exemplary attitude to minstrel music and folk singing. Tireless performance and sharing good cheer have been Rajala's trademarks.
Tapio Rautavaara once encouraged an exciting young player: ”there is only one Toivo Rajala, who sings like Toivo Rajala, and that's all you need to care about”.
Ritva Talvitie is originally from Kauhajoki. She has lived in Kaustinen for over 30 years. Talvitie is best known from the folk music band Tallar, from which she retired last spring. He has previously worked as a violin teacher and orchestra musician.
Talvitie was inspired to folk music by the violinist Eemeli Risku, who asked him to join the Kauhajoki Pelimanne in 1969.
Aimo Ruisniemi from Viljakkala was given a harmonica by his mother as a child. Since then, he has played and been a member of singing groups. In the early 1990s, Ruisniemi joined the Raisio Goose Club to play the drums. The folk music ensemble Möttöläiset, the Pelimannitrio Eläkööri and the Naantali Pelimannit have also been important members. Traditional folk music such as polkas, polskas and sottiisi are close to his heart.
A renewed plaque for Savo
The renewed festival poster was handed out for the first time at the opening ceremony on Monday. It was awarded to the life's work as a journalist Seppo Kononen From Kaavilta. The plaque is a badge given to a person who has worked selflessly for Kaustinen and the whole folk music scene, and not necessarily a player.
This year, the theme of Kaustinen is Savo. According to Seppo Kononen, the golden age of modern Savo's pelican activities began when Savo was last
In Kaustinen as a regional theme in 2007. He himself has been active in the North Savo playing groups for 20 years and has studied the traditions of Savo musicians.
The festival plaque was designed and created by Juhana Virkkala from Kaustis, and is made of slate quarried from the soil of Kaustis. The festival plaque reminds us that in Kaustinen, stones also ring.
Ritva Talvitie (second from left), Aimo Ruisniemi and Toivo Rajala are the 2019 champion players. Seppo Kononen (left) received the renewed festival plaque at the opening ceremony in Kaustinen on Monday.