Midsummer Strings
Midsummer Strings – Maija Niemi, Seija Alasimi Kenn, and Marianne Saarivirta-Kolpack) are an Ishpeming-based trio playing Finnish Folk Music. All three members are of Finnish heritage, and keeping Finnish music and traditions alive is an important part of their artistry.
Midsummer Strings perform mostly with two violins and cello, but they also incorporate kantele (5- and 10-string Finnish lap harps), singing in Finnish, and they have a Sami (Saami) drum.
Maija Niemi started playing the violin at age 3 as her mother was a violin teacher. Marianne started playing the violin at age 9 in an after-school strings program. Seija started with piano, but then started playing the cello in public school in Negaunee. All three grew up attending local Finnish events and hearing Finnish music, which inspired Seija and Maija to start playing together at local Finnish Pikku Loulu events from a very young age. All three were classically trained and all perform with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, however they continue to play Finnish folk music as a string trio as it’s important to each of them.
Meet the Midsummer Strings at the 2026 UPFF!
Musical Performance – Midsummer Strings
1:00pm-2:00pm in Ballroom IV
FREE!
