As easy as counting to five
Kantele can be learned quickly, even by non-musiciansBy KURT HAUGLIE, DMG Writer
HANCOCK - Adrienne Hilman knows how to play several musical instruments, including piano, guitar and mandolin, then last year she took up the kantele, and she was really surprised.
"It's my favorite to learn so far," she said. "It's very straight forward and it doesn't hurt to play."
Since last year, Hilman said she's been playing constantly and has gotten so proficient, she's teaching the five-string kantele.
"When you practice and you play you get better," Hilman said.
Although she's taught only one class period so far, Hilman said she thinks students pick it up quickly.
"It seems like they get the idea," she said.
Hilman's teacher last year was Kay Seppala, who is in her third year of teaching five and 10-string kantele at the Finnish American Heritage Center at Finlandia University as part of the university's fall community enrichment classes, which also includes accordion instruction, and beginning and intermediate Finnish.
Seppala said there's a popular Finnish myth about the creation of the kantele. In the kalevala, or Finnish national epic, an accident at sea was the impetus for the stringed instrument's invention.
"In that story, the hero is out in a boat and the boat goes aground on a giant pike," Seppala said.
The pike is killed in the collision, Seppala said, and after the crew eats it, the hero makes the instrument from the jaw of the big fish.
"He uses the hair of a horse (for strings) to make the first kantele," she said.
Seppala, who is 100 percent Finnish-American from Ontonagon, said she's been playing kantele for 23 years, and she learned from a women in St. Paul, Minn.
"We fondly called her Mother Kantele," she said.
Now, Seppala said she tells her students they are the grandchildren of Mother Kantele.
Although some students who come to the class have their own instruments, Seppala said the City of Hancock Finnish Theme Committee provides 16 instruments for them to play during the eight weeks of the class. The cost for the class is $40 and the deposit for the instruments is $135, which is returned after the class finishes. There is still space for the five-string class, and although the 10-string fall classes are full, she's signing up people for the spring classes.
Seppala said the five-string kantele is relatively easy to learn.
"If you can count to five, you can play it," she said. "It's instant success for beginners. Once you learn the five string, you can move to the 10 string."
The kantele can be played by striking single strings to make single notes or chords can be played, Seppala said. The sheet music she uses in her classes have notes as well as numbers corresponding to strings which make those notes. The instruments look similar to zithers or dulcimers. They are basically a wooden box with a hole on the top for the sound to escape, and strings which are tightened by tuning pegs. A concert instrument can have up to 26 strings. They can be played on a knee, on a lap, on a table or a stand.
Seppala said people who do have some musical training and can read music can do especially well, even if it's their first time with the instrument.
"People who are musical can fly with it," she said.
Besides teaching the class at the FAHC, Seppala said she teaches children for the BHK Childhood Development Board with good results.
"Kids catch on so quickly," she said.
Although Finnish tunes are taught in her classes, Seppala said other music is taught, also.
"So much has been written for the five string over the years," she said.
After learning the kantele, Seppala said as far as she knows, her students stay with it.
"Several people have purchased instruments for themselves after taking the class," she said.
Seppala said she'd like to form a local kantele group if she can round up enough players.
Despite its simplicity, Seppala said the kantele it's very expressive.
"Even though it's a very limited instrument, you can do a lot with it," she said.
Hilman said she plays the kantele every day, and she compares it to the beginning of an automobile trip.
"It's like driving out of a big city when you're going on vacation," she said.
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com.
