The Finnish-American Heritage Center (FAHC) in Hancock hosted a small concert for the community this Saturday featuring a young band named Varvindar, who specialize in Finnish, Shetland, Swedish, and Nordic tunes. The band mixed traditional tunes with influences from jazz and improvisation, creating a sound that band member Mattie Snyder described as “kind of like a fresh spring breeze.” The band consists of four members from Minneapolis, with one member not in attendance. This was a big achievement for the group as it was the first time they’d been asked to travel for a concert.
The event was free to the community and was all about spreading good music and a little bit of Finnish culture. The audience seemed to really enjoy the music, and Varvindar even performed an encore. After the event, Director of the FAHC, David Maki, said “this event was very well received… I was very pleased with the fact that a number of people came out to hear these young musicians play”
Overall, this is just one of many events that the FAHC has hosted. Maki explained, “There’s really not a usual type of event. Our mission is to preserve and promote Finnish American culture, and we do that in a variety of ways.” The center’s next event is a celebration of Finland’s Independence, scheduled for Dec. 3.
