Emmi Kujanpää

Emmi Kujanpää (MA) is a Finnish folk music professional who works currently as a folk singer, kantele player, composer and researcher. She has graduated from Sibelius Academy and the University of Helsinki. In 2009 Emmi Kujanpää studied as an Erasmus student in the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts Plovdiv. After her studies in Plovdiv Emmi Kujanpää founded Finnish-Bulgarian vocal ensemble ”Finno-Balkan Voices” which combined both Finnish and Bulgarian singing traditions. The ensemble worked together with Prof. Dora Hristova who was the artistic producer of the Finno-Balkan Voices’ album
(2014). The album became critically acclaimed in the USA, Australia and different European countries.
In 2017, Kujanpää started co-operation with the new generation of the Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares choir – named Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares Vocal Academy – and led by Prof. Dora Hristova. Kujanpää performed with the LMDVB Vocal Academy at Finland 100 years celebration concerts in Sofia, which were organized by the Embassy of Finland in Sofia.
She also performed her compositions with the LMDVB Vocal Academy at Bulgarian National TV in 2018 at the program ”Ide nashenskata musica”.
Emmi Kujanpää will publish her first solo album ”Nani” at the beginning of 2020. On the album, she combines her strong and sensitive solo voice, kantele (The Finnish folk zither) and jewelry percussion playing with the expressive voices of the Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares Vocal Academy choir. Finnish musicians Jarkko Niemelä (trumpet, vocals), Eero Grundström (harmonium, vocals) and Sauli Heikkilä (Tuvan throat singing, Morin khuur) are also visiting on the album. The songs are about women’s life – joy, sorrow, longing and also about a hidden pain of #metoo experiences.
Emmi Kujanpää has composed, arranged and mainly written the lyrics of the album on Finnish, Karelian and Bulgarian languages. She has been also the producer of the album.
The album was recorded by Delian Ivanov and Mikael Hakkarainen at Bulgarian National Television, Sofia and Musiikkitalo, Helsinki. The album is part of the publication series of the Sibelius Academy Folk Music Departement.
Emmi Kujanpää is internationally appreciated pedagogue who has given workshops and lectures in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Russia and New Bulgarian University, Sofia. She teaches currently folk singing and kantele playing at Sibelius Academy. Her compositions have been played in folk/world music radio programs around the world and her choir arrangement was nominated as a ”best world music song of the year” in Danish Music Awards in 2016.