World

Finnish-Russian Karelia, with its forests, lakes, and rich traditions of myth and folklore, is home not only to the Finnish national epic Kalevala, but also to Värttinä. Emerging from a school band, the group has become one of the leading ensembles in world music. Värttinä draws its inspiration from the songs of the Finnish-Karelian musical tradition and combines them with elements of pop and folk to create a distinctive musical language of rhythmic vitality and poetic intensity.