Emmi Kuittinen

Emmi Kuittinen is a folk musician, singer and songwriter, who specializes in the Karelian and Ingrian singing styles and also laments. Emmi lives in Helsinki, Finland, but her roots are both in Western and Eastern Finland and Karelia. Emmi’s main instrument is her voice and she also plays keyboard instruments, accordion, ukulele and the Finnish-Karelian instrument kantele. She performs both solo and with various ensembles and she often collaborates with other artists such as dancers and circus performers. She also teaches and offers courses on lamenting and folk singing.

Emmi is educated as a Master of Music and Music Educator, and has trained extensively as a Community Musician, concentrating primarily on making music in hospitals and care taking environments. She has instructed and worked with people from all ages ranging from small babies to senior citizens.

Emmi has published her music with a number of ensembles, you can find her discography here.

You can contact Emmi via e-mail emmi.kuittinen@gmail.com

SURUN SYNTY

Surun synty, the birth of the sorrow, is Emmi´s latest project. She has established a new group with Antti Rask (vocals, ukulele, cello), Mimmi Laaksonen (harmonium, wind istruments) and Kirsi Vinkki (fiddle, jouhikko) to perform songs that deal with sorrow. The album Surun synty was published in 2023 by German label Nordic Notes. Surun synty was nominated as an Ethno Album of the year in the Emma Gaala, the Finnish music awards.

LAMENTS

Emmi has specialized in the lament tradition. Laments are a global phenomenon, that can be found throughout the world. The laments that are known nowadays in Finland are based on the Karelian and Ingrian traditions, since there are no historical lament traditions among Finns. Laments have been used to express feelings of sorrow, longing and separating, and sometimes even gratitude. Laments were performed in the most important rites of human life such as weddings, funerals or even when men were going to war or bring conscripted into the army. They were also a way to express sorrows and worries of everyday life. Emmi performs both traditional laments and songs, that she has made inspired by the Karelian and Ingrian laments.

emmi kuittinen & ikuisen ikävän orkesteri

Emmi’s ensemble to perform songs that are inspired by the lament tradition. The name of the group means The Orchestra of Eternal Longing. The members of the orchestra are Juulia Björn, Heidi Henriikka Mäkelä, Charlotta Hagfors, Amanda Kauranne, Minsku Tammela, Mira Törmälä and Kirsi Vinkki. The album Itken ja laulan (I cry and sing) was published in 2020 and was nominated as the Ethno Album of the year in the Finnish Emma Gaala.

hertta

A band of three powerful voices. Emmi Kuittinen, Mira Törmälä and Juulia Björn all sing and play, and the songs are mainly original compositions, greatly inspired by Finnish and Karelian folk music.

pajolaine

A folk music duo by Emmi Kuittinen and Minsku Tammela. It all began when they started to sing together in 2011. Since then they have collaborated on various projects exploring Karelian singing and music culture.