FEMALE VOCAL GROUP “AINO”

Separate vocal groups have always existed by the side of the ensemble. Actually, there were many of them in the 1960s-70s – for example, Finnish male vocal play-acting ensemble “Old bachelors”, the vocal instrumental ensemble “ Forget-me-nots”, Russian comic trio “Odd number”, Finnish variety string-quartet “Leivo”, the comic ensemble “Guys” and many others.

The female vocal group “Aino” was formed in 1952. Its founder and manager for many years had been Sophia Oskina, an enthusiastic and talented person who searched for the real folk songstresses in Karelian villages and filled the vocal group with them.

Today “Aino” is a respectable group of the Republic of Karelia, the winner of Russian immense Concourse among variety artists. It consists of 8 members, its manager is Head choirmaster Marina Ustinova. The group boasts a wide repertoire of the songs of different musical genres and art directions. “Aino” performs Russian, Finnish, Ingrian, Karelian, Veps songs.

“Aino” is an vital “organism” that develops and grows all the time searching for the new forms of art and has an individual, unique manner. Its creative staff has a very tactful attitude towards folk language, tries to understand and reconstruct the natural timbre of authentic singers, the particularities of an early folk intonation.
The purity and remarkable lyricism of sounds, closeness to national singing folklore makes “Aino” the jewel in the crown of the Kantele creative staff!