Thunder Bay Pelimanni president Veijo Holopainen's duties include, besides playing and singing, also pouring coffee.
 

Trumpeters Timo qnd Nina Niemisto have played in the orchestra almost since its inception. Both have a solid musical background: Nina's father, Kauko Ylinen, conducts the orchestra; and Timo's father, Kassu Korte, who now has ceased playing and singing, was a founding member of the orchestra and a long-time accordionist and vocal soloist.

 

Rhythm for Pelimannis is guaranteed by Kaija Makela on the maracas and triangle, drummer Devon Veldhuis, and bass Raymond Loponen and guitarist Veij]o Holopainen
 

Professional musicians can be found among the Pelimanni violinists: Ross Morgentroth and Effie Colossimo have played with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra for many years.

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Contact the Pelimanni Orchestra...

PELIMANNI ORCHESTRA Inc.
attn: Raymond Loponen
314 Bay Street
THUNDER BAY , Ontario
P7B 1S1
Canada
(807)345-9282
www.pelimanni.on.ca
loponenr@shaw.ca

Arts and Recreation in Northern Ontario

Pelimanni Finnish Orchestra, Thunder Bay Ontario

Thunder Bay Pelimanni Coffee Concert Honours Finnish Music

“No hurry to go home yet, could have listened to this longer.”

”They played beautifully, and those Finnish tunes are always so lovely."

"The best concert we have heard."

The Thunder Bay Pelimanni' s coffee concert got many toes tapping, lips smiling and spirits soaring.

The concert held last Sunday at the Finlandia Club can already be called traditional; it was first organized in the late, 1980s under the direction of the late Kauko Kiviluoma. The current conductor of the orchestra, which was established in 1986, is Kauko Ylinen.

The coffee concerts have always had a strong Finnish theme. This time additional flavour was brought to the concert through the exceptional bilingual MC. Terhi Minkkinen's brief pithy account of the originator and background of each performed piece.

For a concert appetizer the orchestra offered the Welcome March, Antti's Waltz and Kuohari's Polka. In the next pieces, Lapin Jenkka and Tunturisatu, Veijo Holopainen and Pentti Junni interpreted lusty and enchanting Lapland emotions beautifully in song. In between the two vocals the orchestra played Kauko Ylinen's arrangement of the fairly demanding Klokkas Antti's Minuet.

Before the coffee was served, we also heard Ashokan Farewell, and Kotiseutuni with solo vocals by Pent ti Junni.

While coffee was being served, Ulla Ahokas, representative of the Canadian Suomi Foundation, explained the background of the Foundation and announced the 2004 recipient of the Kauko Kiviluorna Scholarship, that had been established by the Pellmannl: London University student; Mark Aho. The coffee break was also enlivened by the Finnish Language School children's presentation of poems and songs.

After coffee, the concert continued with Kauko Ylinen singing Veteraanin I.ltahuuto. The song by Kalervo Hamalainen is always touching, and at the concert teased a tear from the corner of many an eye. After Veteraanin Iltahuuto, the focus of the concert took a romantic turn when Veijo Holopainen interpreted the song Merimies, Kotimaa si Meri On, and Nina Niemisto made tender the song Sulle Kauneimman Lau luni.

Aliina Lahtinen, Nina Niemisto and Cindy Innanen's rendition Hulivili Jenkka elicited even a "bravo!" cry and whistles of appreciation from among the audience. At least Cindy's Canadian fiancé, Dave, was volubly infatuated by what he heard. And not without merit!

To end the concert we still heard Kauko Ylinen's interpretation of Kalajoki Waltz, and eternal favourites Sakkijarven Polka and Metsakukkia Waltz.

In joyous spirits Thunder Bay residents were left to await next winter's coffee concert because, hopefully, the coffee concert is like the Flu. It comes every year, was the sentiment of one wisecracker in the audience.

-- by Pirjo Hirvonen ~


Reprinted for the Pelimanni Orchestra with thanks from Vapaa Sana, North America's Finnish Weekly
February 2005

 

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