Ville Kangas
Kaustinen, Finland 
..has
worked as a composer, musician, arranger, producer, writer, photographer
* *
composed and arranged solo material, music for various bands,
concert and theater music, and some larger works
played (acoustic and electronic), violin, Irish bouzouki, stringed instruments and keyboards
played in bands such as Järvelän Näppärit, JPP, Luna Nova, Prusikoukku, The Next Hot Club, Ismo Alanko Säätiö, Folkbarokki, Jarkko Martikainen, solo bands, Qwenland, and Ville Kangas & Puuma
composed and arranged educational material for children and young people for Näppärit music education
written and photographed for a number of cultural publications,
posters and brochures, as well as folk and roots music magazines and newspapers
served as the cultural/program producer, photographer, writer, and spokesperson for concerts and events | Musical background
Ville Kangas (b. 1977), christened Jaakko Wiljami, is undisputably the most respected, original and self-willed musician and composer produced by the folk and world music hatchery in Kaustinen, Finland. It is the violin in the leading role combined with the inimitable style of its player, that has made Ville Kangas a sought-after musician on the Finnish music scene.
Ville is a descendant of musical families in Kaustinen through both his parents, and famous ancestors - Wiljami Niittykoski, Aaro Kentala, Markun Joonas - reveal strong "pelimanni" roots. The family includes both the popular folk music group Kankaan pelimannit from the 1970s and the Kangas brothers on the classical music scene. It was with classical music that Ville, too, started his musical career, from which he took his first sabbatical at the age of five. With his godfather Mauno Järvelä Ville went on his first domestic as well as international tours while he was still a little rascal, and he successfully absorbed all the teachings from older folk musicians.
While he was studying in Kaustinen College of Music, Ville's future values started to dawn on him and he developed an interest in practical musicianship rather than in his studies. Still officially a student at the Sibelius Academy, Ville was carried away by work, so frankly speaking, there was no more time to study. Pushed forward by his philosophies of life fostering versatility and avoiding boredom Ville has travelled from one pursuit to another. Prusikoukku, JPP, Luna Nova, Ismo Alanko Säätiö, Folkbarokki, Qwenland, Jarkko Martikainen and duo with Jussi "Puuma" Petäjä are familiar names to the friends of Finnish music, and to Ville, significant band experiences.
Perhaps it is his passion for something new that has given old traditions a new twist in Ville's hands time after time. His musical Vihreä haltiatar, staged at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, inspired the Finnish Music Information Centre to report to the world as follows:
"...it is precisely in ventures such as this, combining a familiarity with tradition and mind-stretching study, that the prospects for new Finnish folk music look brightest of all."
Ville believes it is this cross-breeding of folk and classical as well as pop music that explains his style of composition that is based strongly on melody. Natural combining of elements is premeditated and intentional.
Ville is known as a flexible professional with the ability to adapt. Lately, he has been working not only as a musician but also as a producer. All in all Ville has had his finger in the pie on almost 50 different publications, and the number of instruments he has played on them is probably the same.
Text; Antti Huntus
Translation; Hilkka Rauhala |
