Singing the Ancient Memories of Finland

Merja Soria

Finnish folk poetry tells a story of the first time the kantele zither was played. The sound was so beautiful that everybody started to cry. When their tears touched the water of the ocean, they turned into pearls.

A native of Finland, Merja Soria performs the traditional music of her Finnish heritage. She combines the ancient kantele with the poignant sound of her voice to sing the haunting songs of Suomi (Finland).

Ms. Soria’s CD recording Arctic Silence is a selection of ancient Finnish folk songs, one of which was featured in the National Geographic Television’s program “Beyond the Movie: Lord of the Rings.”

In 1996 Ms. Soria was honored as Performer of the Year by the Finlandia Foundation. In both in 2003 and 2006, she was featured in Who’s Who in America. She has performed at the Los Angeles Music Center, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Toronto Centre For the Arts, the Peninsula Music Fair, and many other music festivals across the United States and in Europe. In 2016 and 2017, Merja was selected to represent Finland at the annual Christmas Revels production. The performances took place at the George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium in Washington D.C. and the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College, NH, reaching over 16,000 people.

CONCERT DETAILS:

This program will be an intimate mini-concert, providing the audience opportunity to interact with the artist.

6:30pm – Doors open. Casual reception prior to performance.
7:00pm – Performance begins.

This is a casual BYOB event. Feel free to bring refreshments for yourself and your friends.

TICKETS $20/$15 Kalabash Students