MAIJA KAUHANEN
BANDS
OKRA PLAYGROUND
Okra Playground’s music is a combination of Finnish folk, electro and pop–rock where the ancient instruments kantele and bowed lyre intertwine with modern instruments and soundscapes. Three mighty female voices, present-day lyrics, hypnotic rhythms and mystical energy create an energetic and relentlessly electrifying sound.
Okra Playground was formed in 2010 and has released three full-length albums Turmio (2015), Ääneni Yli Vesien (2018) and ITKU (2022). The group has performed on prominent festivals such as the Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysia, Celtic Connections in Scotland and Flow Festival in Helsinki. They’ve played showcases at WOMEX and Tallinn Music Week and have toured in Scandinavia, Estonia, Germany, Belgium, the UK, US and Hong Kong.
Their third album ITKU (Cry, Nordic Notes 2022) won the valued Songline Music Award “The Best European Album” in 2023. Also the same highly respected music magazine form UK included their debut album “Turmio” to the top10 listing “Exeptional Finnish albums of all time” in 2023.
Maija Kauhanen – vocals, kantele
Päivi Hirvonen – vocals, fiddle, bowed lyre (jouhikko)
Essi Muikku – vocals, kantele
Sami Kujala – electric bass
Veikko Muikku – accordion, synthesizer
Oskari Lehtonen – percussion
RÖNSY
Seamless ensemble playing, unbelievable solos, deep emotions, strong friendship. This is what the music of Rönsy is made of. The music leads you from refined chamber-folk to dance rhythms that knock the shoes off your feet.
Rönsy is at home when relishing shades of minimalism as well as when diving into the depths of a virtuosic and rootsy beat. Spontaneity, subtlety and their no-bars attitude join hands in their masterfully structured arrangements.
All the members of Rönsy studied at the prestigious Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department. The trio has toured extensively in Finland over the years and has also performed abroad. The group’s internationally acclaimed debut album was released in Summer 2010, and it received the ‘Kantele album of the year 2010’ award of the Finnish Kantele Association. On November 2014 Rönsy released its second album ’Juureilevia tarinoita - Wandering Tales’.
Helmi Camus – double bass, harmonium, vocals
Maija Kauhanen – Saarijärven kantele, concert kantele, vocals
Kaisa Ristiluoma – 5-row accordion, 2-row accordion, vocals
DUO PIMPEROT
Duo Pimperot (Duo Pussy Missies) is a duo consisting of Maija Kauhanen and Helmi Camus, relying on explicit content and naked two voice song. From tales derived from the moist swamp of folklore the downbeat dick seeks comfort, the flying pussy its poem and the intensely aroused songs find their place.
Helmi Camus – vocals
Maija Kauhanen – vocals
PROJECTS & COLLABORATIONS
MUSICAL COLLABORATIONS WITH ARTISTS WORLDWIDE
LISTEN TO THE COMPILATION PLAYLIST:
ACTIVE PROJECTS
MAIJA KAUHANEN & JOHANNES GEWORKIAN HELLMAN
This duo is a meeting between two of the Nordic countries' most praised and active folk musicians from the new generation. Maija Kauhanen (FI) and Johannes Geworkian Hellman (SE) are each internationally known as artists with strong personal expression and as virtuoso innovators of their respective instruments. Here they join forces and invite the listener to a magical world of sound painted with kantele, hurdy-gurdy and voices. Archaic and progressive, from the small and sensitive sounds to the most powerful ones - this duo plays directly from their hearts to the audience.
Maija Kauhanen (FI) – Saarijärven kantele, vocals, bells
Johannes Geworkian Hellman (SE) – Hurdy-gurdy, vocals
MAIJA KAUHANEN & HUGH SHEEHAN
Maija Kauhanen and Hugh Sheehan form an artistic duo that uses the Finnish traditional instrument kantele together with electronics and other extra-musical objects. Their work explores the internal characteristics of sound, the slowly developing complexities of a performance, and the impact of audience and performer position on a performance.
In Summer 2023 the duo were in residence at Tero Saarinen Company, working In the company’s studio which features an immersive audio system by Genelec, devising work that utilises spatial audio, and conducting experiments in both the audience’s and performers’ position, in movement and gesture.
Hugh Sheehan (ENG) – accordion, vocals, synthesisers, harmonium, guitar, sound design
Maija Kauhanen (FI) – kanteles, vocals, synthesisers, sound design
PASSIVE / PAST PROJECTS
YL 140 - NAISILTA MIEHILLE project concert (2023)
Comission work "Vaella oi Vaskilintu" composed by Maija Kauhanen for the 140 year anniversary celebration of the male YL Male Voice Choir (Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat). Project concert at Musiikkitalo Concert Hall (The Helsinki Music Center), Helsinki, Finland in 8 April 2023.
Maija Kauhanen – vocals, kantele
YL Male Voice Choir – vocals
EMIL BRANDQVIST TRIO & MAIJA KAUHANEN (2019- )
Musical collaboration with Emil Brandqvist Triot and Maija Kauhanen.
Released two tracks together: Memories (2020) & Layers of Life (2023)
Emil Brandqvist (SE) – drums, compositions
Tuomas Antero Turunen (FI) – piano
Max Thornberg (SE) – double bass
Maija Kauhanen (FI) – concert kantele, vocals
HÄIDEN VIETTO KARJALAN RUNOMAILLA film (2022)
The film "Häiden vietto Karjalan runomailla" (Karelian Wedding) was shot in Border Karelia in Suojärvi in June 1920. The original film was produced by the Kalevala Society Foundation in 1921.
The music for the film "Häiden vietto Karjalan runomailla," released in 2022, was composed by the Pajolaine duo, consisting of Emmi Kuittinen and Minsku Tammela, who are well-versed in the Karelian folk singing tradition. An important role in the Pajolaine duo's version is played by the Karelian wedding song tradition, especially the laments and incantations performed by the lamentor Matjoi Plattonen, and the kantele music played by Iivana Brelo.
Emmi Kuittinen: vocals, accordion, bells
Minsku Tammela: vocals, jouhikko, Jew's harp, percussion
Juulia Björn: vocals, folk flutes, wooden horn
Maija Kauhanen: vocals, kanteles, bells, percussion
Mikko H. Haapoja: recording, mixing, mastering, sound design
ERLEND VIKEN: SASTRUGI (2018-2020)
Music by hardanger fiddle artist & composer Erlend Viken. Compositions also from Ellen Andrea Wang and Maija Kauhanen.
Erlend Viken (NO) – hardanger fiddle, vocals
Maija Kauhanen (FI) -– concert kantele, vocals
Ellen Andrea Wang (NO) – double bass, vocals
Marius Graff (NO) – guitars
Erland Dahlen (NO) – percussion
AALKA / IT BEGINS - project concert (2021)
Musical collaboration with original music from Maija Kauhanen (FI), Marja Mortensson (Sapmi/NO) and Sigrid Jore (NO).
Marja Mortensson (SÁ) – yoik
Sigrid Kjetilsdotter Jore (NO) – vocals, harpeleik, Jew's harp
Maija Kauhanen (FI) – kantele, vocals, percussion
Ellen Brekken (NO) – bass
Johanne Flottorp (NO) – hardanger fiddle
Marius Trøan (NO) – percussion
MALMÖ (2010-2020) (
Finnish pop group with a fresh touch. Released several singles with radio play in the major radio stations in Finland. Music & lyrics by Maija Kauhanen & Sami Zimmermann, music production by Sami Zimmermann.
Maija Kauhanen – vocals
Sami Zimmermann – keyboards
Anssi Salminen – guitar
Visu Uimonen – bass
Tuomas Timonen – drums
MARI KALKUN & RUNORUN (2015-2018)
International project with Estonian artist Mari Kalkun. Music created from the ideas of Mari Kalkun, but music formed by improvising together.
Album: Tii ilo (2015)
Mari Kalkun (EE) – vocals, Estonian kannel
Maija Kauhanen (FI) – vocals, Finnish kantele
Nathan Riki Thomson (AU/FI) – double bass, vocals
Tatu Viitala – percussion
FOLK'AVANT (2014-2018)
Nordic trio Folk’Avant playing their original music was formed in 2014 out of curiosity and love for the traditional instruments and music of Swedish and Finnish folk. Album: Gryningsland (2017)
Maija Kauhanen (FI) – concert kantele, vocals
Anna Rubinsztein (SE) – fiddle, vocals
Anna Wikenius (SE) – vocals
CONTACT
ARTIST
Maija Kauhanen
maija.kauhanen [@] gmail.com
+358 40 743 8293
BOOKING
INTERNATIONAL / SAURA BOOKING AGENCY
Johanna Sauramäki
johanna [@] saurabooking.com
+358 50 548 1793
LABEL
NORDIC NOTES
Christian Pliefke
info [@] nordic-notes.de
+49 170 246 8565