Martti Pokela
| Martti Pokela | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Martti Eliel Pokela 23 January 1924 Haapavesi, Finland |
| Died |
23 August 2007 (aged 83) Helsinki, Finland |
| Occupation | musician, educator |
| Known for | music for kantele |
Martti Eliel Pokela (23 January 1924 – 23 August 2007) was a Finnish folk musician and composer.[1] Pokela was an expert with the kantele, Finland's national musical instrument.[1]
Life and career
Pokela and his wife, Marjatta Pokela, were widely credited with ushering in a revival in interest in Finnish folk music beginning in the 1950s.[1] Their daughter, Eveliina Pokela, began performing with them in the 1960s.[1]
Pokela merged traditional Finnish folk music with contemporary sounds. He and his family's albums have been released outside of Finland.[1]
Pokela taught the kantele at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and Kuopio until 1987.[1] He was the founder of the academy's folk music department, where he was named a full professor in 1980.[1]
Albums
- Best of Kantele (1995)
- Sonata For Kantele (1996)
- Snow Kantele (1998)
- "Tuulikumpu" (2001)
- Improsette by Martti Pokela (2005)
See also
References
External links
- YLE News: "Finland's Kantele Master Martti Pokela Dies"
- Finnish Music Centre: "Martti Pokela dies at 83"
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