Martti Pokela

A master of the five-stringed, harp-like kantele, Martti Pokela has continuously expanded on the instrument's capabilities. While he initially focused on the pelimanni tradition of rural Finland, Pokela has performed an ever-growing list of musical genres on the kantele. Pokela continues to balance his career as a musician with work as a teacher. He was the first kentele player to teach at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki; he began teaching in the school's music education department in 1975. He teaches in the school's folk music department. His past students include Timo Vaananen, Sinikka Kontio, Matti Kontio, Arja Kastinen, and Minna Raskinen. ~ Craig Harris