VS kantele project

December 15, 2013

Finnish Cultural Foundation, Varsinais-Suomi Regional Fund awarded one year grant in its annual celebration, May 7, 2013, to Arja Kastinen for reviving the use of small kanteles in music education in the area of Finland Proper. The project started in early June and continues until the end of May 2014. During the autumn Arja has visited 14 towns  (Aura, Kaarina, Lieto, Masku, Mynämäki, Naantali, Nousiainen, Parainen, Pyhäranta, Raisio, Salo, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Vehmaa) and teachers and children from over 40 schools and kindergartens have participated the workshops.

In addition to the plucking and strumming techniques, the workshops have also included improvising and playing by a bow, wooden sticks (pencils), picks, slide etc. Participants have been enthused and suprised: “I didn’t realize that it’s possible to play kantele in such versatile ways!” For open-minded children improvising is easy and a fascinating way to make music.