Welcome to 23rd Haapavesi Folk Music Festival on 27th of June - 3rd of July 2011

Haapavesi Folk Music Festival is an international music festival, where folk music is combined with atmospheric church concerts, jazz, children's music, dance and theatre. There are approximately 10 000 visitors enjoying folk music with us every year.

This year we have invited visitors from several different countries: Dirk Powell (USA), Oneira (Greece), Trio Assai (Spain), Nordic (Sweden), Oeschs die Dritten (Switzerland), Anna Veismane & Timo Kinnunen (Latvia-Finland) and Finno-Balkan voices (Bulgaria-Finland). We will be also pampered by the best folk and world music groups from Finland: JPP, Piirpauke, Heikki Laitinen & Kimmo Pohjonen, Jussi Syren and Groundbreakers, Ruija Trio together with many more great artists from nearby and farther. This year's artists in the genre of Finnish popular music will be Erja Lyytinen, Mariska & Pahat Sudet and Paleface. Haapavesi is also known for great young musicians that naturally take over the stage especially on Saturday afternoon.

Haapavesi Folk Music Festival offers every year also a folk music course/masterclass with top folk music teachers. Summer 2011 Folk Course dates are 27th June-1st July and the teachers are:Dirk Powell: Fiddle, guitar, old-time banjo, accordion, bands (USA);Dora Hristova, Iliana Boykina, Gergana Georgieva, Sonya Georgieva, Marina Stefanova: Bulgarian folk singing; Erik Rydvall: Keyed fiddle, fiddle, bands (Swe); Benjamin Hirschovits-Gerz: Klezmer band, all instruments together (Fin); Sakari Kukko: Flute, saxophone, improvisation, bands (Fin); Antti Järvelä: Traditional Finnish folk music, fiddle, bands (Fin); Petri Hakala: Mandoline, guitar, bouzuki, bands (Fin); Arnold Chiwalala: African drums and traditional dance, 10-string kantele (Tanzania); Teija Niku: Balkan rhythms, accordions, bands (Fin); Outi Pulkkinen: Traditional Finnish folk singing, vocal improvisation (Fin); Timo Alakotila: Piano, harmonium (Fin); Sanna Kurki-Suonio: Folk singing (Fin); Veikko Kiiver: Medieval songs, early music (Estonia); Iegor Reznikoff: Christian songs from antique period (France). (Earlier experience about harmonious singing is needed.)

You are most warmly welcome to Haapavesi Folk Music Festival and Folk Music Course!