Take contact
Team
Sistema Finland
Executive Director,
Regional Coordinator for Western Finland
Member of the Board of El Sistema Finland
​
Verna Kaunisto
+358 45 312 6645
Artistic director,
Regional coordinator for Southern Finland and Uusimaa
Board of El Sistema Finland
1. Vice-Chairman
Juha Ahvenainen
+358 40 720 8536
Expert in association work,
Regional Coordinator for Northern and Eastern Finland
Member of the Board of El Sistema Finland
Taru Nygård
+358 40 833 3323
Founder of the association
Chairman of the Board of El Sistema Finland
​
Jarmo Ahvenainen
+358 41 529 4721
Liity mukaan yhdistykseen
So who are we?
VERNA KAUNISTO- FEODOROW
Verna Kaunisto-Feodorow is a violinist, music educator, cultural editor and non-fiction writer.
Kaunisto first studied violin at the Tampere Conservatory, but soon moved abroad. Her teachers have been e.g. Howard Leyton-Brown, concertmaster of the London Philharmonic (school of Max Rostal and Carl Flesch,) Maxime Tholance, super soloist at the Paris Opera, and Jacques Ghesthem, professor of music at the Paris Conservatory.
Verna Kaunisto completed her studies in Paris with the highest grades and has performed as a violinist in several European orchestras. However, Kaunisto's career has focused on combining cultural activities and music education with social sustainable development and as an integral part of society. Within the framework of these efforts, Kaunisto has worked in the Tempo Sistema Finland association since 2013. The system operations have since led to co-operation, e.g. in the academic management group of the French Passeurs d'Arts associations. The activity has also collaborated with Gustavo Dudamel and the Tokyo Olympic Cultural Program. In addition, Kaunisto-Feodorow has been a European member of the European El Sistema. Her teaching method was promoted to the award-winning Chambre syndicale des Editeurs de Musique de France, Prix de l´enseignement musical in France in 2019 in Paris.
Juha Ahvenainen has worked in Vantaa as a violin and viola teacher, conductor and coordinator of the Tempo Orchestra since the beginning of 2009. He graduated in 2005 from Lahti University of Applied Sciences (musician University of Applied Sciences) with a major in violin and viola, Metroporkag (music pedagogue YAMK).
In 2012, Juha co-founded El Sistema Finland ry, which aims to support and expand Tempo orchestra activities nationwide and promote international Sistema cooperation. As a member of the association, Juha has developed networking e.g. With the Sistema organizations in Portugal, the Netherlands and Sweden and co-founded the Nordic Sistema Norden network.
Juha has written about Tempo activities
Thesis Orchestra Tempo as a community hobby (Metropolia University of Applied Sciences 2013):
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=DD588A023B785909!154&authkey=!ADTVxsZDiHYSTNc
The article Tempo activities in the frame of reference of sociocultural inspiration (pp. 17–29) in the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences publication Music belongs to everyone: YAMK of Music as a pioneer of changing music pedagogy (2015):
https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/128479/AATOS_18.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Article from El Sistema Finland: Tempo´s 10-year Celebration to the international publication Sistema The World Ensemble (2019):
Methodology Guide Tempo Orchestra - The Joy of Playing Together! (2020)
https://lastenkulttuuri.fi/menetelmaopas/tempo-orkesteri-yhteissoiton-riemua/
JUHA AHENENAINEN
TARU NYGÃ…RD
Taru Nygård is a music pedagogue and a special teacher ready for a master's degree. Taru started working as a Tempo opter in Vantaa in 2012, and after moving back to her home in Oulu, the lessons and enthusiasm for Tempo activities moved north with the moving load. She is currently the teacher, conductor and coordinator of the Tempo orchestras of the two schools in Oulu. Taru's special interest is to support the holistic growth and development of children and young people through music.
"Working in Tempo is awesome, rewarding and constantly offers new challenges and opportunities to transcend oneself. "The joy and the spirit of working together, as well as the enormous energy that condenses in joint plays. In the activities of El Sistema Finland ry, I am happy to help all new local actors in launching Tempo activities and issues related to operating practices and everyday life!"
Jarmo Ahvenainen was the viola player of the Helsinki City Orchestra from 1967 to 1989. He was a lecturer in orchestral and chamber music at the Vantaa Music College from 1989 to 2010.
Jarmo Ahvenainen has been promoting the application of the El Sistema music education method to the Finnish school community since 2009. He has been the chairman of El Sistema Finland ry since the establishment of the association, since 2012.
The City of Vantaa has awarded the Jarmo Ahvenainen in 2010 the Cultural Blacksmith Award for work done for multiculturalism and internationality, and in 2019 the Cultural Prize for the cultural work of the year.
JARMO AHVENAINEN
JANE MANNINEN
Jane Manninen is an entrepreneur in the event industry. "I started working with Tempo in 2018. Tempo's 10-year anniversary concert production and marketing tasks were my my table at first. I've known Jami (Jarmo Ahvenainen) for years - I have played the oboe in his orchestra when I was a teenager."
Prior to being an entrepreneur and prior to her role as a producer, Jane worked in sales and marketing for 12 years. In Tempo, she handles tasks related to organizing events as well as sales and marketing. She is also looking for partners for Tempo activities!
"The tempo activity is so hugely warm and fresh! Music and especially playing together unites people regardless of background or age, religion or language. Music also has such a great motivating power! Young people are the best and this activity can be revolutionary and extremely meaningful for them in life . I am glad that I can be a part of this! "
