
The ‘National Nordic Museum‘ and the ‘Finnish Choral Society’ organise the virtual 46th Annual Kalevala Day Festival—Finnish Kantele: Remembering Wilho (Sunday, April 24, 3pm-4pm). The Kalevala Day Tradition goes back to 1835 where it played an important part in developing Finland’s national identity and Finnish language, art, and music. The YouTube program will feature the ‘Finnish Choral Society‘ of Seattle, the ‘Evergreen Livakat Kantele’ players, and Arja Kastinen, kantele player and first Finnish folk musician to earn Doctor of Music at Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. The program will also honor the passing of Wilho Saari, Washington State kantele player and composer who received numerous awards (the Washington State Governor’s Heritage Award, the Finlandia Foundation National Performer of the Year, the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship in 2006 – the highest honor in the folk and traditional arts). RESERVE NOW Cost: Free