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Veila is the first, and only, co-play kantele band in the world, based in Joensuu, Finland. We welcome you to witness something completely novel and unique at the New Bauhaus Festival: a co-play kantele concert.
Kantele is a traditional plucked string instrument and the national instrument of Finland. Finnish folk music is often accompanied by this delicate instrument, traditionally played by one musician. Co-play kantele, on the other hand, is a brand-new innovation, handmade in Finland by a local luthier Koistinen Kantele, combines four kanteles in one, creating an instrument where four musicians are facing each other and playing the instrument at the same time.
Veila takes the co-play kantele to a new level by performing contemporary pop song arrangements with this instrument. The aim of the band is to renew the images traditionally associated with playing the national instrument by offering contemporary musical experiences that combine polyphonic vocal harmonies, inventive rhythms, and the enchanting sound of the kantele. For this reason, the songs that Veila play are not traditional Finnish folk songs but modern pop hits from Finland and around the world. Veila has arranged the songs in their repertoire themselves, and the programme includes massive hits such as As It Was (by Harry Styles) and Somebody That I Used to Know (by Gotye), to mention a few.
Veila's performance is about intense connection, togetherness, and being present in the moment in front of a shared instrument, around a communal campfire. There are not many instruments in the world that allow people to make music around one, shared instrument facing each other and sensing the resonation of the instrument together. This intimacy and togetherness can also be seen as commentary to (hyper-) individualism surrounding our societies – instead of disparate musicians concentrating on themselves, Veila creates a resonating community where one has a chance to regain the sense of belonging and build something beautiful together with other fellow musicians.
Combining all this, Veila has created a mixture that has enchanted people all over Finland. Now, performing outside Finland for the very first time, Veila is looking forward to introducing this experience to the European audiences. We welcome the audience of the New Bauhaus Festival to enjoy Veila.