Wednesday, June 29, 2011

7.30pm Film TONIGHT (Weds, June 29) "Under the Shipwreck Moon" by Finnish filmmaker Antero Alli

29th WED at 7.30pm Film "Under the Shipwreck Moon" by Finnish filmmaker Antero Alli is shown in English with Finnish subtitles at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St; Oakland. Admission $5-10.00. Antero will be there in person.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Siitonen's Latest Sports Report

Finland: World Hockey Champs!

The Finnish Lions men's hockey team creamed its old archrival Sweden in the finals of the 2011 World Hockey Championships, 6-1, at Bratislava, Slovakia, on May 15 to become World Champs for the first time in 16 years. Finland went wild as tens of thousands flooded streets of Finnish towns and cities to celebrate throughout the night. The men performed magnificently throughout the series, defeating Russia twice, and losing only once, to the Czech Republic, 2-1, in the earlier rounds. The Czechs prevailed over Russia to take the bronze. Both major hockey powers USA and Canada finished out of the running this time.


At this writing, the NHL finals for the Stanley Cup, saw The Vancouver Canucks edging the Boston Briuns, in their first game, 1-0. Whichever team wins, there'll be a Finnish player sharing in the Stanley Cup. Veteran defenseman Sami Salo has long been a mainstay of the Canucks and Tuukka Rask is the No. 2 goalie of the Bruins. However Tuukka may not get much playing time, as first string Tim Thomas is one of the NHL top goalies, and may hold forth at the cage throughout the finals for the Beantowners.

Finnish runners shared a dual victory at the Nordic 10,000-meter track championships at Selfoss, Iceland on May 22. Jarkko Hamberg, 28, took the men's division in a time of 30:35.90, and veteran Elina Lindgren of Oulu was top woman in 34:48.11. Finland's Nina Chydnius, 21, won the women's bronze with 35:45.79.

Tero Pitkämäki
prevailed in the javelin in a Diamond League world track meet at Shanghai on May 15, defeating an old pal and friendly rival, World and Olympic Champ Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway. Tero's spear flew for 85.33 meters and Andreas's 85.12. Teemu Wirkkala was 4th with 82.39. Meantime, Lassi Etelätalo, 23, of Joensuu, threw a personal best jav at 84.41, at Leppävirta on May 28, and World Junior Champ Ari Mannio prevailed at a meet in Dessau-Rosslau, Germany on June 1 with a toss of 83.57. Thus, Tero, Teemu, Lassi and Ari have now met the A standard in the javelin to qualify for the World Championships at Daegu, Korea this summer.

Jussi Utriainen won another of many Finnish national championships, as he took the Finnish cross-country running title on May 15 for the 9th time, this time at Nivala, where he covered the 12 kilometers in 39:12. Another longtime Finnish star Johanna Lehtinen was the women's winner at the 6Km distance in 21:20. By the way, Elina Lindgren, who later won the women's Nordic 10,000m championship, was runner-up at Nivala in 21:44.

Mårten Boström was the winner of the Copenhagen Marathon on May 22 in a time of 2:18:51. Mårten, who attended college in the US on athletic scholdarships for several years, has a personal marathon best of 2:18:51 which he earned at Ottawa three years ago. Kenyan-born Obed Kipkurui, now living in and competing for Finland, was 3rd in Bulgarian Open Marathon Championships at Kanarma, which he ran in 2:19:01. Winner was Morocco's Ahmed Nasef in 2:16:32. Obed, the reigning Finninsh marathon champion, had won this Bulgarian marathon last year.

Niina Kelo defends heptathlon title
Finland's top multi-event athlete Niina Kelo successfuly defended her 2010 heptathlon title in the Finland-Sweden-Estonia Triple meet at Seinäjoki on June 4-5. Her 5732 points qualified her for the European Athletics Championships at Helsinki next year. She also had a 54.47-meter (178'8.5") personal best in the javelin. Jenni Kivinoja was a pleasant surprise with her 3rd place standing, establishing personal bests in five of the seven events for a 5490 point total. Team results: FIN 16,545 SWE 16,023 EST 14,136. Disaster struck the Finnish men in the decathlon, after leading among men's teams after the first day of the competition. Leader Jarkko Ojaniemi injured himself on the 110m hurdles and couldm't continue. Another top Finn Samuli Itani failed to get a result in the pole vault. So in the men's results, Estonia was the winner, Sweden second and Finland third. (See jpg of Niina below)
Kristiina Mäkelä set a new Finnish and Nordic Women's -19 junior record in her 13.64m (44'9") triple jump victory at meet on June 4 in Lappeenranta.
Paralympic world champion Leo-Pekka Tähti won the100-meter race in 14.26 seconds in the Class 54 wheelchair division at a meet at Muttenge, Switzerland on June 4.
Kelo_Niina_16.jpgKelo_Niina_16.jpg
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-- Harry Siitonen

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Finnish Folk Music Camp in Hancock, MI, July 12-14, 2011

World-renowned Fiddler to Teach at U.P. Finnish Folk Music Camp This July

HANCOCK, MI - Considered by many Finnish music experts as "one of the most important fiddlers of our time," Finnish fiddler Arto Järvelä will travel to Michigan's Upper Peninsula this summer thanks to a grant from Suomi Seura (Finland Society).

Järvelä, an instructor of traditional fiddle at the prestigious Sibelius Academy of Helsinki, Finland, is traveling to Hancock to instruct classes at the Copper Country's first-ever Finnish Folk Music Camp, July 12 to 14, at Camp Lahti on Lake Superior's Rabbit Bay, Lake Linden.

The Music Camp is conducted by the Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center and the university's Finnish Council in America.

One of the Finland's most talented folk musicians, Arto Järvelä is a fourth-generation descendent of the famous Järvelä family of fiddlers, from the well known folk music area near Kaustinen, Finland. He completed a master's degree at the Sibelius Academy Folk Music Division in 1994.

Järvelä has represented Finnish traditional music in 37 countries and performed with dozens of well-known Finnish folk music ensembles. He was a founding member of JPP, a celebrated folk music ensemble of Finland. He has composed more than 80 tunes, recorded three solo CDs, and appeared on dozens of other music CDs. In addition to fiddle, Järvelä plays nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed fiddle), mandolin, octave mandolin, kantele, jouhikko (ancient Finnish bowed lyre), pump harmonium, and string bass.

Registration for the Finnish Folk Music Camp is $125 per person for classes and $125 per person for room and board. If payment is received before June 15, an early-bird rate of $100 for each applies. Music camp attendees can lodge in dormitories for men or women, and space is provided for tent camping and campers (with electric hook ups). For more information, call 906-487-7505 or visit www.finlandia.edu/musiccamp.

The Music Camp occurs at what can be considered an exceptionally Finnish time in Michigan's Copper Country. During the same week in July, the Copper Country will host the U.S. premiere of the recently-commissioned Finnish American opera, "Rockland," several Finnish-related concerts, public lectures and discussions are scheduled, and the annual Aura Jamboree music festival is July 15 and 16.

The camp has a number of instruments available for student use. Classes offered include:
  • fiddle
  • guitar
  • mandolin
  • kantele
  • bones
  • spoons
  • dance
  • singing
  • build your own 5-string kantele
Additional classes include:
  • Finnish cooking
  • Wood carving
  • Ornament making from objects found in nature
  • Music seminar
Facilities are available at Campers Lodge in dormitories for men and women. Tent camping and campers with electric hookups are also available.


One very special Music Camp class, taught by James Lohmann of Covington, is a workshop to build a five-string kantele,. All materials for creating the instrument are provided, and anyone, regardless of carpentry skill, can build one easily. The kantele-making class requires an additional fee.

Joining Arto Järvelä as instructors at this July's Finnish Folk Music Camp are many Upper Peninsula and Midwest folk musicians, all experts in Finnish-American music.

Oren Tikkanen (guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass guitar), Calumet, is something of a legend among Finnish American musicians. He is very active in the Upper Michigan music scene, and plays with the Pasi Cats, Will Kilpela and Friends, the Thimbleberry Band, the Uptown Swingsters, Les Ross, Sr. and Friends, and other groups.

Randy Seppala (bones and percussion), Covington, carries on the bone playing tradition of the late Johnny Perona of Calumet. Randy has led workshops at many festivals and events throughout the region. He plays Finnish music with Wil Kilpela and Friends, Les Ross Sr. and the Finnish American All Stars, and the Finn Woods Ramblers, among others.

Tanja Stanaway (guitar, accordion, voice), Ishpeming, is an active recording artist originally from Finland. She has been involved with Finnish-North American culture since her arrival in the U.S. in 1972. Tanya has released five music CDs and is working on a sixth CD. She has performed at several Finn Fests, and at many other festivals and events.

Kay Seppala (kantele), Chassell, was a founding member of the Minnesota kantele ensemble, Koivun Kaikuu. A third-generation Finnish-American, Kay has led numerous kantele classes and workshops in the Upper Peninsula. She is also director of the children's Finnish American folk dance group, the Kivajat Dancers, which performs throughout the western Upper Peninsula.

Three members of the well-known U.P. folk and traditional musical group White Water will also instruct classes at the Music Camp: Bette Premo (violin, kantele), Amasa, and Laurel Premo (violin) and Michael Beauchamp (mandolin, guitar), both of Kalamazoo. Bette Premo has been involved with Finnish folk music and dance since moving to the Upper Peninsula in 1985. White Water performs many concerts each year and the group has released eight music CDs.

Two Music Camp faculty members hail from outside Michigan.

Carl Rahkonen (violin, bass, kantele), is a second generation Finnish American who works as a music librarian and professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He earned his Ph.D. in Folklore and Ethnomusicology, writing his dissertation on "The Kantele Traditions of Finland." Carl has been named 2011 Lecturer of the Year by the national Finlandia Foundation, and is lecturing around the country on Finnish American music.

Folksinger and storyteller Arne Salli (guitar, voice), Wausau, Wisc., is the son of Finnish immigrants who settled and farmed in northern Wisconsin. An expert performer of Finnish-American songs, for many years, Arne performs often for various groups and at festivals.

For more information or to register for the Finnish Folk Music Camp, visit www.finlandia.edu/musiccamp or call 906-487-7505.

Also, don't miss Pine Mountain Music Festival's "Rockland The Opera!" This premier is based on heart-wrenching events in 1906 in the copper-mining town of Rockland in Michigan's Upper Penninsula, when Finnish miners went on strike over wages and working conditions. Human dreama, inspiring stories of previous generations, romance and celebration of local history!

New World Premier : July 15 & 17 at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts in Houghton, MI. This same group will also perfo
rm in Nivala, Finland on June 9-13. www.musiikkisaatio.fi

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

24th-26th FRI-SAT-SUN Juhannus celebration at FAHA - three days of traditional Finnish festivities

24th-26th FRI-SAT-SUN Juhannus celebration at FAHA

Three days of traditional Finnish festivities starting with Karaoke (Finnish!) evening, Saturday is a day filled of activities for kids of all ages with Juhannus Kokko and Dancing, East Finland vs West Finland swim race and Sunday concludes with pancake breakfast and Church service. Great fun and food and raffle prices.