Fun with Runo-Song at University of Newcastle

Instrument maker-workshop leaders Kate Fletcher and Corwen Broch ran a hands-on music session with students at Newcastle Uni today exploring the wonderful sound world of Finnish instruments and runo-song traditions.  Most students had no previous experience of these instruments, which include the kantele (known now as Finland's national instrument) and the jouhikko or bowed lyre, related to the kantele which creates a uniquely Finnish sound. Many of these instruments feature in Fire in the North Sky: Epic Tales from Finland (Saatuja Sanoja) and are referred to in Kalevala - including the story of how Väinämöinen made the first kantele out of the jaws of a pike. Here's a selection of photos from the session which lecturer Catriona McDonald described as,"a wonderful session - full of rich content, good balance of talk and practical application, and a lot of fun!" [gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="4522,4526,4534,4538,4542,4546,4554,4566"]