Finland’s first Ethnogala takes over Tavastia Club on Nov. 7
Finland’s first Ethnogala will be held at 7 pm on Tue. Nov. 7 at Helsinki’s legendary Tavastia Club. At the first annual gala, prizes will be handed out to the most interesting and distinguished figures in folk music, world music and folk dance. The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) will record and broadcast the event on its TV, radio and internet channels.
The Ethnogala will focus on live folk music and folk dance rather than speeches. Tavastia will be transformed into an ethno-club with two performance stages, with the Yle broadcast including performances and interviews from both stages as well as the green room and backstage areas.
The gala performers will be chosen from among the prize nominees. The nominees and the event’s programme will be published in September.
Award categories
Prizes will be awarded in three main series at the Ethnogala. The winners of the main prizes will be selected from the nominees proposed by the public. The final decisions will be made by a jury of professionals chosen by the Committee of Folk Music and Dance in Finland (KEK).
Main awards:
- Artist of the Year
- The Artist of the Year is a brilliant Finnish soloist or group who has attracted attention in the field of folk music and folk dance.
- Phenomenon of the Year
- The Phenomenon of the Year may be a research study, event, campaign, movement, innovation, social media campaign or other phenomenon related to folk music, folk dance, instrument-making, costumes or traditions.
- Newcomer of the Year
- The Newcomer of the Year is someone who has boldly earned his or her place as a new figure in Finland’s folk music and folk dance scene.
Besides these, the best of the field will also be honoured with three special prizes:
- Folk Music Songwriter of the Year (awarded by Elvis – The Finnish Society of Composers and Lyricists)
- The Folk Music Songwriter of the Year is a Finnish composer or lyricist who has raised the bar for folk music through multi-faceted, ambitious work.
- Internationalisation Prize (awarded by Music Finland)
- The export award goes to a Finnish act that has aroused interest in the international music field and demonstrated export-readiness.
- Intersection Prize (awarded by the Global Music Centre)
- The Intersection Award goes to a person, group, community or body that has advanced encounters between cultures and their rights to their own music.
Winners chosen from nominees
You can nominate winners for the three main prizes and the Songwriter of the Year by filling out the online form at https://goo.gl/forms/i9IrfMUpXoxv8nYz1 through Aug. 15 or by filling out a form at the Kaustinen Secondary School during the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival (July 10-16).
Ethnogala tickets are available from Tiketti
Advance tickets €12-20 through Oct. 15, thereafter and at the door €15-22
Ethnogala organiser and partners
Ethnogala is arranged by the Committee of Folk Music and Dance in Finland (KEK) in partnership with the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle). The other partners are the Global Music Centre, Music Finland, Elvis – The Finnish Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Finnish Musicians’ Union, Teosto (the Finnish Composers’ Copyright Society), the Finnish Folk Music Association and Radio Helsinki. The Ethnogala is part of the Etnosoi! world music festival. The gala is supported by the Finnish Music Foundation (MES), the Kalevala Society and the Association for Rural Education and Culture.
More information:
www.kansanmusiikki.fi/etnogaala
Sirpa Lahti, Executive director
Committee of Folk Music and Dance in Finland (KEK)
+358-40-7384736
tj@kansanmusiikki.fi