Festival Press Release

Program in English, French & German Program in Finnish

9.30	Ikaalinen Day 9.30 Luhalahti Villager’s Program at the Festival Park, 11.00 Religious folk songs at the Ikaalinen Church, 12.30 Coffee at the Yellow School Free entry

13.00 *see below*	Closing Ceremony of the Festival 2010 Performances by both Finnish and foreign artists and the 2010 competition winners. Venue: Festival Park, Ikaalinen Free entry

After shattering all previous attendance records with 50,000 people attending this years festival, the 38th Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival concluded with hundreds gathering for the official closing ceremony:


Large numbers gathered for the Closing Ceremony

Kalle Mäkelä, Master of Ceremonies

Accordion Brio from Moldova, conducted by Ljudmila Tolstoseeva

Members of the Official Party for the Closing Ceremony: Kimmo Mattila (Musical Director), Tero Nissinen (Mayor of Ikaalinen), Vuokko-Liisa Nuottajärvi, Sirpa Sippola (Festival Director), Mr. and Mrs. Raija Vahasalo (Mrs. Vahasalo is President of The Education and Culture Committee in the Parliament of Finland), Terhi Palonen and Matti Äijö (Mr. Äijö is the Chairman of City Government of Ikaalinen)

Above left: Speech by Matti Äijö (Chairman of City Government of Ikaalinen) Above right: Kalle Mäkelä introducing the winner of the 2010 Golden Accordion Competition Viivi Maria Saarenkylä

Above: The winner of the 2010 Golden Accordion Competition Viivi Maria Saarenkylä

The Keynote address being presented by Raija Vahasalo (President of The Education and Culture Committee in the Parliament of Finland)

Haiyu Liu - China (Contestant in the Primus Ikaalinen VI)

Plaquette Award to Seppo Lankinen Each year the Sata-Häme Soi Festival gives this award to someone who has had a remarkable influence on the accordion in Finland and Finnish accordion music. For 20 years Seppo has been on every SHS accordion cruise, he has been responsible for many kinds of things at the SHS Festival and he has been working as an integral part of the leadership of the Finnish Accordion Association. He also works on the Sata-Häme Management Team. He is highly regarded as not only an accordion Professional, but someone who also understands very well the points of view and needs of those who enjoy the accordion at hobby. Above left: Festival Director Sirpa Sippola and right Seppo being given the award by Music Director Kimmo Mattila.

Esko Tapiainen and Auli Majalahti (from Riitiala Villages Association), Jonna Pirttijoki, Päivi Seppälä, Kalervo Saarinen, Esko Luomala, Veijo Leponiemi and Keijo Jokinen from the (all from the Nokia Accordion Club), Merja Kaartinen, Iiris Hellman, Raija Vesterinen, Seppo Lankinen, Tapio Viitasalo and Arto Ranta. From the Festival pictured in front making the presentations are Kimmo Mattila, Terhi Palonen and Sirpa Sippola

Sata-Häme Soi Veterans Altti Lammi, Seppo Mattila and Pentti Lappalainen making an award to the Sata-Häme Soi Festival

Above left: Sata-Häme Soi Director accepting the Award on behalf of the Festival Above right: Sata-Häme Soi Musical Director Kimmo Mattila receiving congratulations

Accordion Orchestra inTakt and Hogener Lünen Choir directed by Lustin Lonescu from Saksa, a sister city to Ikaalinen, from Germany


Above left Raija Vesterinen, Viivi Maria Saarenkylä and Haiyu Liu (China) Above right: Members of the official party bidding farewell to each other

Above left: Festival Director Sirpa Sippola with guest from China Haiyu Liu Above right: Festival founder Heikki Eränen, Hillevi Chruchill (translator and International Guest host) and Tuula Eränen

Above left: Heikki Eränen and his wife Tuula with Primus Ikaalinen Contestant Haiyu Liu from China Above right: Heikki Eränen and his wife Tuula with Accordions Worldwide festival reporter Kevin Friedrich

Closing Ceremony Luncheon: Mrs. Raija Vahasalo (President of The Education and Culture Committee in the Parliament of Finland), Terhi Palonen, Minna Plihtari (Press Manager), Alan Whiteland (Host), Kimmo Mattila (Musical Director), Sari Rytkölä (Festival Secretary), Kevin Friedrich (Accordions Worldwide and Chairman of the Primus Ikaalinen Jury), Sirpa Sippola (Festival Director) and Mr. Vahasalo

At the conclusion of the festival each year, there are several traditions that must be carried out including the customary 'Leap of Joy', the Champagne Celebration and the Staff Party, plus a few other impromptu happenings as pictured below:


Above: preparing for the 'Leap of Joy'

Above: Sirpa Sippola (Festival Director), Kimmo Mattila (Artistic Director) and Minna Plihtari (Public Relations Manager) celebrate the end of another perfect festival with the traditional 'Leap of Joy!'

With a few minutes to spare before the Champagne Ceremony, we found three new (new to accordion playing) contestants to make one final competition in the 'Not So Silver Accordion', 'Definitely Not the Golden Accordion' and 'This is Not the Primus Ikaalinen VI' Competitions. Each contestant thought their chances were quite good, since there were no other competitors! Above left: Minna Plihtari (Public Relations Manager) - Contestant in the 'Not So Silver Accordion Competition' Above right: Alan Whiteland (United Kingdom) - Contestant in the 'Definitely Not the Golden Accordion Competition'

Above: With only one contestant in each category, the final 'Duel' came down to a battle between the Golden and Silver accordionists. Alan Whiteland and Minna Plihtari begin in a rather friendly Duel!

Above: As the competition gets more intense, Alan and Minna begin to get more serious!!!!

Above left: Festival Director Sirpa Sippola, the only contestant in the 'This is Not the 'Primus Ikaalinen VI' Competition enjoys her performance, with high marks being scored for Presentation! Above right: The popular accordion used by all the contestants in the After SHS Competitions

The results are in!!! Each contestant was declared a winner in their category.. each scoring the perfect 60 points! BRAVO!!!

Getting ready for the 4:00 PM Champagne Ceremony.


Festival Director Kimmo Mattila popping the cork on the Champagne. Please note the accordion bird house up the tree! However, one small problem was noticed.. a leaf was obstructing the entrance to the bird house!

Never fear... Kimmo climbs the tree, removes the obstruction and the bird house is reopened for business!


The core team of Festival Staff celebrating a wonderful record breaking event with a Champagne toast!

The final celebration is a large dinner party for all the festival staff and guests.

Above left: Ludovic Beier (France) entertaining at the party Above right: The Kastav Accordion Orchestra (Croatia)

The Kastav Accordion Orchestra (Croatia)

The Kastav Accordion Orchestra (Croatia)

Each year the younger members of the team take some time out to have some fun with their bosses from the festival. It is customary to rename the main organizers based on their traits and the various situations happening during the festival. This year they named their bosses after what they felt was their corresponding member of the Moomin family, a traditional Finnish folk tale family of characters. Pictured left to right: Ville Mattila, Jaakko Vikman, Aino Ojakoski, Anu Sippola, Petra Plihtari, Emmi Kulmala, Leena Heikkilä, Sirpa Sippola, Sari Rytkölä, Kimmo Mattila and Minna Plihtari.

The organizing staff members were each presented with their new Moomin Character name with both their new name tags, as well as with a souvenir coffee mug displaying their assigned character. If you put your mouse over the picture, you might get a little glimpse as to what their character looks like!!! Leena Heikkilä - Mymmeli (Mymble, Little My's Big Sister) Sirpa Sippola - Viljonkka (Mrs. Fillyjonk) Sari Rytkölä - Niiskuneiti (Snork Maiden) Kimmo Mattila - Nipsu (Sniff) Minna Plihtari - Pikku Myy (Little My)

Ikaalinen invites you to attend the 39th Sata-Häme Soi Festival from 28th June - 3rd July 2011!!!! 2010 had 50,000 reasons to celebrate the accordion!!! See you next year! All Welcome!!