As part of the event World Music Fusion: The Best of the World Music Festival in Bratislava, we invite you to a concert by the legendary world music group Värttinä.
Värttinä are a true gem of the Finnish folk music scene. Their roots lie in Karelia, Finland, specifically in the tradition of female vocal ensembles. What makes Värttinä unique are their harmonies performed by charismatic female singers – the main stars of the group. The band began as a children’s project in the village of Rääkkylä, near the Russian border. Since their international breakthrough in 1991, Värttinä have been performing around the world and have built a reputation as one of the most inventive ensembles on the world music scene.
The group was founded back in 1983 as a girls’ vocal ensemble by sisters Sari and Mari Kaasinen from the village of Rääkkylä in Karelia – a region in southeastern Finland on the Russian border. They first gained recognition at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, where in 1987 they were named Group of the Year and recorded their debut album. Over the decades, despite various challenges, the band has preserved its distinctive quality. They have played thousands of concerts in dozens of countries, with highlights such as performing at the Rock in Rio festival for over 200,000 people. From the original lineup, only singer and composer Mari Kaasinen-Paaso and Lassi Logrén remain. The current live lineup also features singer and accordionist Susan Venhovaara and singer and flutist Karoliina Kantelinen. Their accompanists – and also co-authors of many songs – are violinist and jouhikko (traditional bowed lyre) player Lassi Logrén, guitarist Matti Laitinen, and the newest member, percussionist Jukka Kyllönen.
Their phenomenal comeback this year was crowned by reaching the top of the World Music Chart Europe (July 2025) with their new album Kyly. Now they return to Slovakia with a brand-new program, promising audiences an energetic and magical performance.
Line-up:
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Susan Aho – vocals, accordion
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Mari Kaasinen – vocals, kantele
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Karoliina Kantelinen – vocals, flute, kantele
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Mikko Hassinen – percussion
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Matti Laitinen – strings, vocals
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Lassi Logrén – violin, jouhikko (traditional Nordic bowed lyre), vocals
Come and let yourself be carried away by the power of music that carries the Karelian legacy and has been enchanting the world for decades.
September 21 at 18:00, Mierové námestie
Admission: free
World Music Fusion: Värttinä (FI) has been financially supported by the City of Trenčín, the Trenčín Self-Governing Region, and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. The project partner is the European Union.
Photo and video recordings will be taken at the event and may be published afterwards.
