Sanna Kurki-Suonio
Encyclopedia
Sanna Kurki-Suonio is a Finnish singer, kantele
player and composer in the contemporary folk / neo-folk music genre. She is probably most well-known for her work with the band Hedningarna
, which extended over eight years between 1991 and 1999. She was also a founding member of the group Loituma
.
After her first solo album, Musta, was released in 1998, she toured the United States and Europe with Swedish viola
player Magnus Stinnerbom
. Since then, she has composed the Kalevala 150th Anniversary concert (working with Finnish rock star A. W. Yrjänä
), and has contributed to recordings by Ismo Alanko
, Pekka Lehti, Hannu Saha, Transjoik
, Frode Fjellheim
, Tellu Turkka
and the Tapiola Chamber Choir. She recently completed a new album, Kainuu, with kantele player Riitta Huttunen.
Sanna taught singing at the Sibelius Academy
in Helsinki
until 2002. Now she teaches at the Academy in Joensuu
.
Kantele
A kantele or kannel is a traditional plucked string instrument of the zither family native to Finland, Estonia, and Karelia. It is related to the Russian gusli, the Latvian kokle and the Lithuanian kanklės. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic psalteries...
player and composer in the contemporary folk / neo-folk music genre. She is probably most well-known for her work with the band Hedningarna
Hedningarna
Hedningarna is a Swedish and, for some years partly Finnish, folk music band that mixes electronics and rock with elements from old Scandinavian folk music. Their music features Yoik or juoiggus, a traditional Sami form of song.-History:...
, which extended over eight years between 1991 and 1999. She was also a founding member of the group Loituma
Loituma
Loituma is a Finnish quartet whose members combine the Finnish vocal tradition with the sounds of the kantele. Loituma were selected Ensemble of the Year at the 1997 Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.-History:...
.
After her first solo album, Musta, was released in 1998, she toured the United States and Europe with Swedish viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
player Magnus Stinnerbom
Magnus Stinnerbom
Magnus Stinnerbom is a fiddler from Värmland, Sweden, whose principal instrument is the viola. He is the son of the influential fiddler Leif Stinnerbom, who co-founded the Nordic folk band Groupa. Magnus is currently playing with the groups Harv and Hedningarna. He has toured the U.S...
. Since then, she has composed the Kalevala 150th Anniversary concert (working with Finnish rock star A. W. Yrjänä
A. W. Yrjänä
Aki Ville Yrjänä , better known by the stage name, A. W. Yrjänä , is a poet and the singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the Finnish rock band CMX. In addition to his musical work he has published four collections of poems.- Music :Yrjänä has studied theology and comparative religion,...
), and has contributed to recordings by Ismo Alanko
Ismo Alanko
Ismo Kullervo Alanko is a Finnish musician. He is known as the frontman of several bands, most famously Hassisen Kone, Sielun Veljet and Ismo Alanko Säätiö, as well as a successful solo artist....
, Pekka Lehti, Hannu Saha, Transjoik
Transjoik
Transjoik is a Norwegian band that plays jazz and Sámi music, often characterised as an ambient electronic, techno and trance band, but with a dose of yoiking, so it is often considered world music. The group's original name was Frode Fjellheim Jazzjoik Ensemble.-Discography:*Saajve Dance...
, Frode Fjellheim
Frode Fjellheim
Frode Fjellheim is a Norwegian Sami yoiker and musician . Since 1997, he has also composed film scores for NRK and Lars Rasmussen's children's films. During the 1990s, he headed his namesake band «Jazz Joik Ensemble», which is currently known by the name of Transjoik. Fjellheim has also been...
, Tellu Turkka
Tellu Turkka
Tellu Turkka is a Finnish fiddler and singer in the contemporary folk / neo-folk music genre. She studied violin at the Jyväskylä Conservatory from 1978 to 1985, at the Savonlinna Art College from 1985 to 1988, and at the Folk Music Department of the Sibelius Academy from 1989 to 2001...
and the Tapiola Chamber Choir. She recently completed a new album, Kainuu, with kantele player Riitta Huttunen.
Sanna taught singing at the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
until 2002. Now she teaches at the Academy in Joensuu
Joensuu
Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
.
Discography
- with Hedningarna
- Kaksi (1992)
- Trä (1994)
- Karelia Visa (1999)
- with Tellu Turkka
- Suden Aika (1997)
- solo
- Musta (1998)
- Huria (2007)
- with Riitta Huttunen
- Kainuu (2004)