Baltic Folk Music at Fiddle Club

Sunday, January 11, 7pm
Seman Violins
(4447 Oakton in Skokie)
Fiddle Club of the World (Chicago Chapter)
is pleased to present
Ain Haas
with a demonstration, workshop and jam session of
Folk Music from Estonia and Latvia
Admission is $15

In memory of our good friend
Andres Peekna (1937-2014)


Ain Haas was born in Sweden to Estonian parents.  He now lives in Indianapolis, where here he leads Siilikesed, the Hedgehogs, an Estonian and Latvian folk ensemble. In the concert, Ain will demonstrate a variety of plucked zithers (kannel and kokle), bowed lyres (hiiu kannel and giga), Estonian bagpipes (torupill) and other ancient instruments. A jam session of Baltic polkas, waltzes, marches and airs will follow. Most tunes will be fairly easy to learn. Some recordings are posted below. Sheet music will be available.

The evening will be a tribute to Andres Peekna, who, with Ain, led the Chicago-based Estonian folk ensemble, Tuuletargad, the Wind Wizards. In the top photo, Andres is playing the small table-top kannel.  Andres, along with several members of Tuuletargad, appeared several times at the Midwest Fiddle Championship hosted by the Fiddle Club of the World. Here is a recording from the 2004 championship. Mary Allsopp is on fiddle. (Click the blue title to play.)
Vigala Reinlander

Kägära-Näpupolka, Ain on torupill and Andres on kannel


     torupill (bagpipes)        –         Ain Haas with kannel    –  in center is a hiiu kannel (lyre)

Click here for standard notation for all the tunes linked on this page. All from the collection of Andres Peekna.

Recordings by Siilikesed, the Hedgehogs
Ackups (a Latvian tune)

Minoome Labajalg (Minor-key Flatfoot Waltz)

Ruhnu Pulmamarss (Ruhnu Island Wedding March)

Recordings by Tuuletargad, the Wind Wizards
Hopser (hop-waltz)

Valgamaa Simmanilugu (Valga County Village party tune)


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