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 it’s second album ’Juureilevia tarinoita’.

Helmi Camus – double bass, harmonium, vocals

Maija Kauhanen – kanteles, vocals

Kaisa Ristiluoma – accordions, vocals

Violinist and professional folk musician Piia Kleemola is known as an exceptional performer, who is at home in both traditional and more experimental music worlds. The specialty of the Seinäjoki-based artist is Ostrobothnian fiddle polska, which was the subject of her dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Music, completed in 2011 at the Sibelius Academy. Kleemola is an experienced musician and educator, who has had a leading role in numerous productions performing traditional, improvised and composed music, including dance and theater. Besides the violin, her instruments include kantele, jouhikko (Finnish bowed lyre) and vocals. 
In addition to her solo performances, Piia Kleemola works as a musician with several bands, such as Finnish folk music bands Päre & Hyperborea and Seinäjoki-based Laitakaupungin orkesteri. Kleemola has released three solo recordings and she performs on 30 records, three of which have been nominated for the Etno-Emma award distributed by the IFPI Finland. As well as several European countries, Kleemola has performed in the USA and in China. Piia Kleemola has been awarded one-year artist's grants by the National Council for Music (2008) and the Finnish Cultural Foundation, South Ostrobothnia Regional fund (2007 & 2014).


The folk music ensemble Hohka have been active since 2006. During their career Hohka have performed at widely different locations from intimate clubs to festival arenas, from concert halls to trams. The band’s trademark are its live performances, which are full of warmth, joy and humour.

In November 2011, Hohka won the Nordic Championship in Folk Music in the folk group category. Their debut album Puutarhautuminen, released in December 2011, had a warm reception. Over their many years of making music together, the band members’ playing has fused into a unified sound. In addition to catchy melodies and a solid knowledge of tradition, Hohka’s music is full of the spontaneous joy of creation and sheer enjoyment in playing music.

 
Meriheini Luoto, fiddle, nyckelharpa
Valtteri Lehto, kantele & guitar
Veikko Muikku, accordion
Enne Ilo Purovaara, double bass
Minna Koskenlahti, percussion

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Vuodesta 2006 toiminut kokoonpano on uransa aikana ehtinyt esiintyä mitä erilaisimmilla lavoilla intiimeistä klubeista festivaaliareenoille sekä konserttisaleista raitiovaunuihin. Hohkan tavaramerkiksi ovat muodostuneet lämpöä, elämäniloa ja huumoria säteilevät esiintymiset. Yhtye voitti Pohjoismaiden kansanmusiikkiyhtyeiden mestaruuden syksyllä 2011, ja saman vuoden joulukuussa julkaistu debyyttialbumi Puutarhautuminen sai lämpimän vastaanoton. Hohkan vuosien varrella yhtenäiseksi hitsautuneessa soinnissa kuuluu tarttuvien melodioiden ja vankan perinnetietoisuuden lisäksi spontaani luomisen riemu sekä musisoinnista nauttiminen.

Hohka julkaisee odotetun toisen albuminsa mailla/halmeilla helmikuussa 2015. Kokonaisuudessa kuullaan uusien kappaleiden lisäksi musiikkia keväällä 2014 ensiesitetystä näyttämöteoksesta Sivuun nostettuja tarinoita. Matkamuistoissa menneiltä vuosilta punoutuvat yhteen niin kaiut Irlannin ylängöiltä, railakkaiden juhlien pauhu Espanjasta kuin myös haavematkat tulevaisuuteen


Valtteri Lehto, kantele, kitara
Meriheini Luoto, viulu, avainviulu
Veikko Muikku, harmonikka 
Enne Ilo Purovaara, basso
Minna Koskenlahti, lyömäsoittimet


www.hohka.net

Mirja Klippel is an award-winning Finnish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in Denmark. She paints musical and poetic landscapes that have spellbound reviewers and audiences around Europe.

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