Maria Kalaniemi and Elina Leskelä: A Musical Celebration from Satumaa to Säkkijärven polkka — HoivaPelimannit 5th Anniversary Concert

Maria Kalaniemi and Elina Leskelä’s seamless, effervescent playing, together with music that captures the Finnish soul, invites you to a concert where you can lift your spirits, enjoy their artistry and delight in wonderful music. The concert features Finns’ favourite melodies, fiery tangos, light-hearted waltzes and tricky polkas, from Metsäkukkia through Satumaa to Säkkijärven polkka. With HoivaPelimannit, the audience will also get to sing familiar songs. Five years ago, two outstanding musicians, accordionists Maria Kalaniemi and Elina Leskelä, began making musical visits to care homes as the HoivaPelimannit duo, an initiative of JuuriJuhla-RotFest. Since then, they have toured care-home wards, senior residences, memory-care centres and memory conferences. Through their playing, Maria and Elina build bridges to memories and bring the joy of music to people who cannot make it to concert halls. Audiences have been enthralled! In 2024, their work received the Phenomenon of the Year recognition at Folklandia’s Eläköön folk gala.