Eva Alkula

Kantele artist Eva Alkula specializes in contemporary and electro-acoustic music and in Japanese fusion music.Alkula performs as a soloist and in various chaimber music ensembles in Finland and abroad. She has performed widely around Europe, in USA and in Japan. She visits Japan regularly and collaborates with the local musicians e.g. koto artist Tomoya Nakai. Alkula has joined the major classical music festivals in Finland, Sweden, Iceland and Norway  and has premiered works by various contemporary composers both in Finland and abroad. She has also worked as a musician in several theaters and operas in Finland, Estonia and Ireland.Alkula has released a solo album 'Helios' in 2007. Album 'Youkihi' with koto artist Tomoya Nakai was released in 2009. Alkula has also broadcasted in The Finnish Broadcasting Company, BBC and NHK (Japan) and participated in several film and documentary productions. Alkula has worked with the electric kantele since 2003 and has electro-acoustic projects e.g. with violin artist Pekka Kuusisto, Tomoya Nakai and electro band KONEV.In 2003 Alkula graduated with a Master of Music from the Sibelius-Academy in Helsinki where she studied contemporary and classical kantele music with kantele artist Ritva Koistinen. In 1999-2000 Alkula studied Japanese koto in Hokkaido University of Education in Sapporo with koto artist Yukiko Takagaki. Alkula has won the 1st prize in the National Kantele Competition in 2003. At present  Alkula's work is supported by an artist grant by The National Council For Music.