The Maine Kanteles

Our first CD, "The Simple Gift," is here!  See below for ordering information.

2007 Portrait - outside the family sauna!

Photo by Nathan Tsukroff   www.tsukroffphoto.com

In November 2000, a group of people met in the basement of the Lutheran Church in South Paris, Maine to learn how to play Ode to Joy on the kantele.  For most, that Sunday afternoon, a spark of passion for the instrument ignited.  From such a humble beginning, the Maine Kanteles was born.  Originally, the intent for the group was not performance but to learn how to play the instrument.  However, in June 2001, the Finnish American Heritage Society of Maine invited the kantele players to perform and loved what they heard.  Since that time, the Maine Kanteles have maintained a regular performance schedule. 

CD RELEASE! 

We are proud to announce that our very first CD, "The Simple Gift," is now available.  It includes a range of styles, from traditional (Kalevala Melody, Konevitsan kirkonkellot) to contemporary (Down By the River, Vyöry, Mitä oikein on hiljaisuus?) and familiar American tunes (Edelweiss, Simple Gifts)....and many others.  Proceeds will help support Kantele Laulu, Inc.

Cost: $17.00 ($15.00 plus $2.00 S&H)  Outside the U.S. $20.00

Click here for Order Form (PDF Format)

Also available at CD Baby!      

Upcoming Performances:

• Check back later for upcoming events

Performance sites have included:

• "The Kalevala - from Myth to Marimekko" sponsored by the New Hampshire Poetry Society and the New Hampshire Humanities Council (Rochester, NH 2009)

• St. Charles Church with The New Camerata Singers (Brunswick, ME 2009)

• St. Patrick's Church with The New Camerata Singers (Portland, ME 2009)

• First Parish Church with The New Camerata Singers (Freeport, ME 2008)

• Maine State Museum (Augusta, ME  July and November, 2008)

• Artstream Gallery/New Hampshire Poetry Society (Rochester, NH 2008)

• St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Coffee House (Lisbon, ME 2008)

• New Year's Bethel (Bethel, ME 2006, 2007)

• Mission Congregational Church (West Paris, ME 2007)

• The Brick Church (Lovell, ME 2007)

• Andover Old Home Days (Andover, ME 2007)

• Fiddlehead Center for the Arts Cultural Festival (New Gloucester, ME 2004, 2006)

• Simply Scandinavian (Portland, ME 2006)

• St. Michael's Finnish Lutheran Church (Montreal, Canada 2006)

• Boston Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA 2004)

• Ilomantsin kanteleviikko, an annual kantele festival (Ilomantsi, Finland 2004)

• American Association of University Women (Orono, ME 2004)

• St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts (Berlin, NH 2004)

• "Finn Funn" Weekends (Burlington, VT 2003; Rockland, ME 2002)

• Festival of Nations (Portland, ME 2003)

• Northern Forest Heritage Park (Berlin, NH 2003)

• Finlandia Foundation, Boston Chapter (Boston, MA 2003)

• Penobscot Language School (Rockland, ME 2003, 2002)

For Booking Information, email sarahcr@securespeed.us

Photos below taken in Ilomantsi, Finland by Jorma Kohonen, 2004