IV INTERNATIONAL KANTELE COMPETITION

in Kaustinen 5th.-7th. May

IV International Kantele Competition takes place in Kaustinen, Finland!

Come and listen how kantele music sounds in and outside Finland when 60 ensembles in every age and music style compete! The competition starts with Kantele Night on Friday at 8.30pm at Hotel Kansanlääkintäkeskus where we celebrate Perhonjokilaakso area’s strong kantele tradition. On stage will be the groups Kaustisen kanteleet (in the photo), Aila Rauhalan kanteletytöt and Erkki & tytöt.

All competition events are free of charge and open for public, welcome!

Contact: Leeni Wegelius +358 50 564 5966

Competition site and other important places in Kaustinen

Meals are available at Kansanlääkintäkeskus.
You can find mealtimes, menus and prices here.

Competition schedule

Folk Arts Centre is open on Friday 16-21, Saturday 7-21 and Sunday 7-18

5th of May Kantele Night

8.30pm in Hotel Kansanlääkintäkeskus (Pajalantie 24, Kaustinen)

Traditional kantele music. Performers: Kaustisen kanteleet, Aila Rauhalan kanteletytöt and Erkki & tytöt. Free of charge, open for public. There is a possibility to eat buffet supper from 6pm to 9 pm.

6th of May The Competition: children’s event KanteleKimara, Youth category, Professional category

Folk Arts Centre (Kansantaiteenkeskus, Jyväskyläntie 3, Kaustinen)

10.30-13.20 Museosali: Youth category, art music
10.45-13.15 Konserttiina: Youth category, folk music and other music
11.00-14.00 Kaustinen Hall: children’s event KanteleKimara
14.05-15.45 Konserttiina: Professional category, folk music and other music
14.10-15.30 Kaustinen Hall: Professional category, art music

The Fair is open throughout the competition days in Kalliosali. There are instrument builders and other interesting enterpreneurs of music industry.

17.00-19.00 The Final concert

The concert with performances from the day’s competition and the distribution of prizes for KanteleKimara and youth category.

7th of May The Competition: Open category

Folk Arts Centre (Kansantaiteenkeskus, Jyväskyläntie 3, Kaustinen)

9.30-10.40 Kaustinen Hall: Open category, other music, large ensembles
11.35-14.30 the category continues in Museosali with small ensembles

10.00-10.40 Museosali: Open category, folk music, small ensembles
11.00-12.05 the category continues in Kaustinen Hall with large ensembles

12.20-14.30 Kaustinen Hall: Open category, art music

The Fair is open throughout the competition days in Kalliosali. There are instrument builders and other interesting enterpreneurs of music industry.

16.00-17.30 The Final concert

The concert with performances from the day’s competition and the distribution of prizes for open and professional categories.

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Kantele Association is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2017. Together with Kantele Teachers’ Association we will arrange the IV International Kantele Competition in Kaustinen, Finland from 5th to 7th of May 2017 in co-operation with Kaustinen commune, Kaustinen Folk Arts Centre, Kaustinen Folk Music Festival and Folk Music Institute. We welcome every kantele and related instrument ensemble from all around the world to compete and enjoy the competition regardless of genre, age or group size!

Kaustinen has a unique kantele tradition that is still going strong. A whole kantele playing style has been named after the river that runs through Kaustinen and nearby areas: the Perhonjokilaakso technique.

The important kantele pioneer Kreeta Haapasalo was also born in Kaustinen in the beginning of the 19th century. Kreeta Haapasalo was among the first Finnish artists who performed around the country and even abroad earning her living through touring. She was also one of the first musicians to give a voice to Finnish folk culture through her kantele playing and singing. She was an important figure in the Golden Age of Finnish arts which by enforcing the national identity and evoking a sense of pride for our own culture partly led to Finland’s declare of independence in 1917. Therefore kantele also has a valuable part in Finland’s celebration of 100 years of independence in 2017.

Though Kaustinen is small, it has strong international connections. Kaustinen Folk Music Festival is already celebrating it’s 50th anniversary. Since Kaustinen, Finland and Kantele Association are celebrating their important milestones the same year what could be a better place for our kantele competition?

See you in Kaustinen, Finland in 2017!
Yours sincerely,

Leeni Wegelius
The Producer of the IV International Kantele Competition
Kantele Association and Kantele Teachers’ Association
28th of October in Espoo, Finland

Info letter 21.4.

Dear participant of the IV International Kantele Competition, The competition is coming soon! It will be so great to finally see you all, let’s make an awesome competition together! We will update the page of the competition during next week so that everything will be...

The jury of the competition

The jury for the IV International Kantele Competition has been chosen The Jury President is Arja Kastinen, Doctor of Music. Arja Kastinen made a doctoral degree in Sibelius Academy in 2000. Her subject was Karelian kantele improvisation in 19th century. After her...

Info letter 23.3.

Dear participant of the IV International Kantele Competition, here are some updates and also some new things about the competition. Time table (update!) There have been minor changes to the Sunday’s timetable concerning the Kaustinen hall. Take a look at the updated...


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