Kreeta-Maria Kentala

Violinist Kreeta-Maria Kentala is a pioneer in the Finnish movement for early music, and she is equally comfortable with the roles of soloist, leader and pedagogue of Baroque, Classical, Romantic, contemporary and folk music.

Kentala’s playing combines a deep understanding of different styles with a fresh approach and bold improvisation. A brilliant example of Kentala’s ability to innovatively unite surprising elements is her award-winning solo album Side by Side - Bach partitas and folk music from Kaustinen (2016), in which the rhythms of baroque and folk music gradually coalesce.

Kentala comes from a family of folk musicians, and her path has taken her from Kaustinen via the Sibelius Academy to Edsberg Musikinstitut in Stockholm, and from there to studies in Baroque music in Cologne. Her ensembles include Barocco Boreale and The Jones Band. In the course of her career, Kentala has also played in Musica Antiqua Köln and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has also been an artistic director of music festivals, and is a recognised teacher.