Maria Kalaniemi

One of Finland’s most popular accordionists, Maria Kalaniemi has enjoyed a long professional career. Kalaniemi started playing accordion at age eight. After an extensive classical background, she eventually chose folk music as her career path. Trained and now teaching in the Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department, she is regarded as one of the most respected and influential teachers in the history of the Academy. Kalaniemi is known in Finland and worldwide as an inspiration to accordion fans and newcomers alike, possessing technical proficiency and composing and performing skills of astounding melodic sensitivity and power.Kalaniemi has been involved in numerous groups, collaborations and projects, recording and performing worldwide. Most recently is the Bellow Poetry solo project, with accompaniment from guitarist Olli Varis, and the international accordion collective Accordion Tribe with three albums and an award winning documentary film and DVD to their credit. Also known internationally from the nineties is Aldargaz, with two albums available. Additional projects include the Finnish-Swedish trio Ramunder, the Ice Fishers with violinist Arto Järvelä, UNTO Tango Orchestra, the Maria Kalaniemi Trio with pianist Timo Alakotila and Aldargaz guitarist Olli Varis, Ambra duo with Timo Alakotila and the Airbow trio with Swedes Sven Ahlbäck and Johan Hedin.Kalaniemi has also collaborated on recordings and / or tours with Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, Finnish opera star Jorma Hynninen, well known Finnish singer Vesa-Matti Loiri, Pidot improvisation trio with Finnish singers Anna-Kaisa Liedes and Heikki Laitinen, Swedish accordionist Lars Hollmer, British accordionist Karen Tweed, Irish accordionist Sharon Shannon, Japanese singer Halo and Japanese conceptualist Yasunori Mitsuda. She also performed on a French EMI recording of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.In London 2004, Kalaniemi guest starred with Timo Alakotila, JPP and the BBC Concert Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall for the BBC Nordic Adventures concert.In Helsinki 2004-5, Kalaniemi enjoyed additional success with the Finnish National Theatre production of “Niskavuoren Nuori Emäntä” featuring new and old Kalaniemi compositions. The program ran for almost one year and a CD of the music was released locally.In mid 2005, The Arts Council of Finland appointed Maria Kalaniemi one of four new Artist Professors for five years term alongside composer Kaija Saariaho, writer Olli Jalonen and artist Juho Karjalainen. In 2006 and 2007, Kalanieni and Olli Varis have toured in Europe, USA and Taiwan in support of the Bellow Poetry album which is released in Europe, America and Taiwan.