Samppa Uimonen

 Samppa Uimonen (19.4.1927-18.5.2001)was born in the province of Sortavala on the island of Tulola in lake Laatoka.  There he soon also began his career as a kanteleplayer.  His inspiration, idol and teacher, as well as the builder of his kantele was kantele artist Antti Naukkarinen.  Samppa was a war refugee in Haapavesi twice and during that time he was allowed to play kantele in Ilona Porma´s group on the condition that he turned his kantele around so that the longest strings would be closest to him.  Ilona Porma then gave Samppalle a kantele made by Kilpinen..

   Samppa attended Paukkulan Nuoriso-opisto in Mikkeli.  Later he learned to read notes and general bass, also singing in the choir of Kajaani teacher's seminar, where he graduated as a teacher.  He taught both at Haapavesi Folk College as well as Niittylahti Folk College.

   Later Samppa dared to turn his kantele around and play again from the narrow side, after the encouragement of Martti Pokela.   Samppa even developed his own style of playing.  He accompanied Heimo Haittoa, Veikko Tyrväistä ja Matti Tuloiselaa, among others.  Samppa introduced the kantele and Kalevala in Russia, Japan and North America, among other places.  At the invitation of the Finnish-American Society he gave historic concerts at the Waldorf Astoria with Heikinheimo ja Tavaststjerna in 1978 jand again on an American tour in 1984 at the invitation of Suomi-Seura.  Samppa founded the Kalevala-Forum which is situated in Kitee.  Later Samppa still toured the American west coast and worked to found his dream, the Kalevala Institute.   Because of Samppa's own playing style he is not regarded as presenting any major style or region but without him many kanteleplayer would have been without an inspiration and a teacher.  Samppa Uimonen's playing style and especially his improvisation enriched Finland's kantele tradition.  Kantele can still be heard on his recordings and also in the Uimonen family.  Founding member and honorary member of the Finnish Kantele Association, Samppa Uimonen passed away in Kite 18.5.2001 after a long illness.    

(This article is based on kirjoitus perustuu Jane Ilmola's visits and interviews with Samppa and his brother Veikko, at Myllyoja in Haapavesi during the last five years of Samppa's life, and translated from the obituary that Jane wrote for Kantele-lehti.)