Värttinä's style, stemming from the women's singing traditions of Finno-Ugric tribes of the east (including Karelia, Setu, Mari Republic, Ingria, Mordva and others), adds an explosive spirit of honest joy and creative energy to close-knit harmonies. As fiddler Kari Reiman explains, "Värttinä's harmonies are a combination of many styles, with our own ideas added in." These traditional harmonies may seem strange to western ears, but Värttinä's presentation makes assimilation to this complex style pleasurably easy. The original or adapted compositions run the gamut of emotions, from the sinister drama of songs like "Äijö," a traditionally based piece which tells of a crazy old man who casts a spell on a poisonous viper, to the high-spirited dance music of "Laulutyttö" and the exaltations of a young girl born to sing, to the gentle lullaby of "Milja."

The evolution of Värttinä is almost as fascinating as their music. In 1983, a small group of girls in the Karelia region of Eastern Finland, led by sisters Sari and Mari Kaasinen, begun to recite and sing old Karelian traditional poetry and songs. "People were always asking my mother for some kind of performances from (my sister and me) because everyone knew we liked to sing," says Mari, who started studying fiddle, accordion, and kantele (the folk zither that is regarded as Finland's national instrument) at the age of four. Mari, together with her sister and two cousins, formed a small band that developed into Värttinä. Mari explains, "when we started singing and plyaing kantele, almost every girl in Raakkyla wanted to join, so by 1985 we had 21 members." Added to the tradition folk music of Karelia were modern instruments like accordion, saxophone, double bass and guitar. In addition, tired of simple recitation and ordinary singing, the vocalists developed their more aggressive and powerful style. The entire provocative concept was new to folk music and to Finland, and Värttinä rapidly gained national recognition.

After six years of remarkable domestic success, including two albums and several tours, the mature Värttinä downsized to four female vocalists and six male musicians, including some of Finland's top rock, bluegrass, and Celtic players. At this point, the band added sources to their mainly reki repertoire (developed in the 17th century and found on their certified platinum album Oi Dai), including runo (an older style common until the 17th century), Swedish, American, and Russian folk music, and Finno-Ugric music, which influences most of their compositions today.

Since then, Värttinä has progressed and evolved to greater heights of sophistication and skill, with original compostions (based on traditional styles and elements) more elaborate arrangements and instrumentation. Subsequent albums Seleniko and Aitara brought them international acclaim including foreign license deals and numerous tours and concerts. Personnel changes have occurred over the years, including departure of founder Sari Kaasinen in 1996, but each change brings new vitality and creative energy to the band and results in each album being superior to the previous. Today, three original members remain in the Värttinä line-up.

Värttinä's sixth album Kokko, released globally on the Nonesuch label and their seventh album Vihma released by Wicklow/BMG, were their first two ventures into the exploration of Karelian runo songs. Runos are ancient sung verses with a particular repetitive, alliterative style and there are literally thousands in Karelian folklore. Runo texts and imagery gave Värttinä greater depth and emotion to their music, inspired even more imaginative compositions and arrangements and propelled them to the peak of their creativity. Värttina's year 2001 album Ilmatar, produced by Frenchman Hughes de Courson, is unanimously acclaimed as the pinnacle of their career, featuring the most complex and dynamic vocals yet, their most adventurous compositions to date, extensive and effective use of percussion and a spacious production that allows the music to breathe like never before.

Värttinä remains almost entirely acoustic yet manages to make music that is as compelling and uplifting as any electric band. They are dedicated to exploring their own creativity with Karelian and Finno-Ugric tradition as the roots source and their collective skills and imagination as the vehicle for contemporary expression.

VÄRTTINÄ is:

• SUSAN AHO - vocals. Playing accordion since the age of 13, she played accordion on Värttinä's Vihma album before moving to vocals. Previously involved at Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department, she worked with the folk music group Metsänväki and with accordionist Minna Luoma performing Finnish gypsy songs.
• MARI KAASINEN - vocals
  Original Värttinä member from Rääkkylä, in Karelia. Has been singing and performing since age 2 1/2. Previously a student at Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department, she now maintains a career simultaneous with Värttinä, teaching voice, kantele and accordion in Helsinki. In addition, Mari and Värttinä guitarist Antto Varilo have composed specially commissioned music for Finnish female choir.
• KIRSI KÄHKÖNEN - vocals
  Original Värttinä member from Rääkkylä. Karelia, singing with them exclusively since Värttinä's birth in 1983.
• JOHANNA VIRTANEN - vocals
  Studied folk music and singing at the Central Ostrobothnian Conservatory in Kokkola. Also plays harmonium, violin and 2-row accordion. She joined Värttinä in 2001.
• JANNE LAPPALAINEN - bouzouki, saxophones
  Original Värttinä member from Rääkkylä and one of the band's chief arrangers and composers. Janne, a student of Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department and wind instrument specialist, has played in other Finnish bands including Ottopasuuna and Progmatics.
• PEKKA LEHTI - basses
  From Joensuu, Karelia, one of Finland's top players, having performed with many of Finland's leading bands. One of Värttinä's main arrangers he also works part time with another ensemble ZetaBoo and his first solo album was released in 2000.
• MARKKU LEPISTÖ - accordions jouhikko (3 stringed bowed lyre)
  From southern Ostrobothnia, one of Finland's most solid and reliable accordionists, playing folk and dance music since age five. A graduate of the Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department, where he studied kantele, woodwinds, double bass and fiddle, previously a member of the group Pirnales and still with Progmatics. Also works with mandolinist Petri Hakala and a klezmer band.
• KARI REIMAN - violin
  A native of Helsinki with a long history of acoustic music, including five-string banjo, mandolin and guitar with several bluegrass bands and fiddling with Finnish-Irish group Korkkijalka and with Finnish group Ottopasuuna. He joined Värttinä in 1989 (Oi Dai period) and has become one of the band's principal composers and arrangers.
• MARKO TIMONEN - drums, percussion. One of Finland's most popular, respected and versatile drummers. Skillful on a wide variety of drums and percussion instruments from around the world, he also performs with acts ZetaBoo and Ismo Alanko Säätiö.
• ANTTO VARILO - guitars, cümbüs tambur (Turkish long necked lute)
  A professional Helsinki guitarist for the past fifteen years. Has performed with numerous rock, Afro and jazz artists and bands including Hasse Walli, Badu N'Djay and Porvoo Big Band. Now one of Värttinä's main composers and arrangers, he and Mari Kaasinen have composed specially commissioned music for Finnish female choir.

The Old Värttinä (1983-1989)

The New Värttinä (1989-)

VÄRTTINÄ DISCOGRAPHY

Värttinä / The First Album (1987) (Warner, Finland)
Musta Lindu / Black Bird (1989) (Warner, Finland)
Oi Dai (1990) (Polygram, Finland / NorthSide, USA)
Seleniko (1992) (Polygram, Finland / NorthSide, USA / Music & Words, Benelux)
Aitara (1994) (NorthSide, North America / King, Japan / Music & Words, Benelux)
Kokko (1996) (Nonesuch/Warner)
Vihma (1998) (Wicklow/BMG)
Ilmatar (2000) (Wicklow/BMG / NorthSide, USA / Resistencia, Spain)
Live In Helsinki (2001) (Northside, USA, original title 6.12 as released by BMG, Finland and Westpark, Germany)