The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Finnish American Folk Fest in Naselle is sponsoring a concert by the new group Aallotar at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, at the Valley Bible Church located on SR 4 between Deep River and Rosburg.

Aallotar is a freshly minted trans-Atlantic collaboration between accordionist Teija Niku of Finland and violinist Sara Pajunen of Minnesota. One hundred years ago, their ancestors lived within miles of each other in the western regions of Finland. The ensemble is founded on the common musical ground the women share, but also revels in the cultural differences formed when a lineage is separated by an ocean and the passage of time. Aallotar’ s music, released on their March 2014 debut album, has been described as “exquisite, sophisticated chamber folk music.”

Accordionist Teija Niku will be familiar to local audiences who heard her perform as feature entertainer at the 2013 Scandinavian Midsummer Festival as part of the band Polka Chicks. Sara Pajunen also appeared previously in the local area with her band Kaivama. The two women now perform progressive Nordic folk music together and explore the similarities and differences between their two cultures (Finnish and Finnish-American).

The Finnish American Folk Fest will take place July 25, 26, and 27, 2014, and the concert by Aallotar is a prequel to upcoming festivities. Admission to the concert is free but donations to Finn Fest 2014 will be welcome. There will be a potluck appetizer / dessert after the performance. One does not have to be Finnish or Scandinavian to enjoy the music.