Koistinen Kantele
Koistinen Kantele is a Finnish family-owned manufacturer specializing in acoustic and electric kanteles.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Koistinen Kantele is a Finnish manufacturer of kanteles, the traditional plucked string instrument associated with Finland and belonging broadly to the zither and dulcimer family. Based in Rääkkylä in North Karelia, the company combines traditional Finnish instrument-making with contemporary design, professional concert construction, electric amplification, and education-oriented instrument supply. Although the business was formally established in 2000, its roots extend to 1957, when Otto Koistinen built his first kantele. The family story is closely connected with the development of the kantele as a serious concert instrument. Otto Koistinen's daughter Ritva Koistinen began playing at a young age and encouraged the construction of more refined instruments. She later became Finland's first traditional kantele-playing lecturer at the Joensuu Music Institute and founded the solo kantele department at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 1987. Her musical career helped create a demanding professional context for the instruments made by the family. Otto's son Hannu Koistinen, born in 1966, became a central designer and developer of the modern product range and is identified as the company's chief executive. Between 1990 and 1993 he developed the first modern 38-string Concert Kantele, drawing on earlier work by Paul Salminen while introducing revised lever positions, a fully opening damper, and new string measurements. The resulting design sought greater control, projection, and suitability for professional performance. A double-blind comparison held in Ikaalinen in 1993 placed two of the company's instruments first and second among seven builders and eight instruments, helping establish the reputation of the new concert models. A 39-string version followed in 1995. Koistinen Kantele also pursued the modernization of the instrument through amplification. The Koistinen Electric 1, presented in 1999, was described as the first fully developed 39-string solid-body electric kantele. It was designed for larger venues, ensembles, and musical styles beyond the instrument's traditional acoustic setting. Two built-in microphones were used to balance the instrument's range while retaining its characteristic sound. Its inclined playing table also allowed the performer to play standing and gave audiences a clearer view of the strings and hands. In 2001 the company introduced its Wing Collection, a group of compact five- to fifteen-string instruments shaped in a form reminiscent of a pine seed. The collection drew conceptual inspiration from instruments such as the Russian gusli and Latvian kokle and combined colorful visual design with built-in pickups, shoulder straps, and levers. This line reflected the company's broader effort to present the kantele as accessible, portable, visually distinctive, and relevant to contemporary musicians. The company describes itself as a family business, although ownership has also included employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders. In 2010 Eero Broman became a part-owner and chair of the board. The same year, Ritva Koistinen performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, an event associated with the wider international visibility of Finnish kantele performance. Koistinen Kantele's instruments have been used by artists including Timo Väänänen, Eva Alkula, Eija Kankaanranta, and Senni Eskelinen, and more than 50 Finnish music institutions have been equipped with various Koistinen models according to the cited reference material. The brand's positioning rests on three linked ideas: safeguarding a national Finnish instrument, developing it for high-level artistic use, and extending its practical range through modern construction and electronics. Its recognition includes the appearance of the Electric 1 in the 2006 Finnish Design Yearbook and the 2012 Rantasalmi Prize, awarded for advances in the quality, sound, and design of the kantele and for strengthening the instrument's image as a modern, high-quality Finnish product.
History
Koistinen Kantele's roots reach back to 1957, when Otto Koistinen built his first kantele. The family workshop developed in a context where the kantele was both a traditional Finnish instrument and an emerging subject of formal musical education. Otto's daughter Ritva Koistinen became an accomplished performer and educator, and her professional ambitions encouraged the construction of instruments capable of meeting higher artistic standards. She later became the first traditional kantele-playing lecturer at the Joensuu Music Institute and established a solo kantele department at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 1987. Hannu Koistinen, Otto's son and Ritva's brother, became the principal designer behind the company's modern instrument development. From 1990 to 1993 he created a modern 38-string Concert Kantele, adapting earlier concepts associated with Paul Salminen and revising the instrument's levers, damper, and string dimensions. A blind comparison in Ikaalinen in 1993 gave two of the company's instruments the highest placements among the participating builders and instruments. This result helped validate Koistinen's approach to professional concert construction. The range expanded to a 39-string model in 1995, while additional technical work addressed string tension, dynamics, acoustic volume, and playability. The company then moved into electric instrument design. Koistinen Electric 1 was introduced in 1999 as a 39-string solid-body electric kantele. It used two built-in microphones to support amplification across the instrument's range while seeking to preserve its characteristic tone. The design also changed the performance posture: rather than being played seated on a table, it could be played standing on an angled support that made the instrument more visible to an audience. This broadened the kantele's potential use in bands, large venues, and styles requiring higher sound levels. Koistinen Kantele was formally established in 2000. In 2001 it introduced the Wing Collection, compact five- to fifteen-string instruments with a pine-seed-like form. Their design drew on ideas associated with the Russian gusli and Latvian kokle, while built-in pickups, shoulder straps, levers, and colorful finishes made the instruments practical for contemporary use. The company subsequently grew into a specialist team of approximately ten people, including contributors from outside Finland, and supplied instruments to Finnish music institutions. According to the cited reference, more than 50 Finnish music institutions use Koistinen models. Ownership later broadened to include staff and suppliers as well as the Koistinen family. Eero Broman became a part-owner and board chair in 2010. The brand's performers have included Timo Väänänen, Eva Alkula, Eija Kankaanranta, Senni Eskelinen, and Ritva Koistinen. In the same year that Broman joined the ownership structure, Ritva Koistinen performed at Carnegie Hall. The company's design and instrument-making profile was recognized when the Electric 1 appeared in the 2006 Finnish Design Yearbook. In 2012 Koistinen Kantele received the Rantasalmi Prize from the South Savolax regional fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation for improving the kantele's quality, sound, and design and presenting it as a modern, high-quality national instrument.
- 2012
Rantasalmi Prize awarded
[1]Koistinen Kantele received the prize for contributions to kantele quality, sound, design, and cultural positioning.
- 2010
Ownership broadens
[1]Eero Broman became a part-owner and board chair, while ownership also included employees and suppliers.
- 2006
Electric 1 recognized in Finnish design publication
[1]The Electric 1 appeared in the Finnish Design Yearbook.
- 2001
Wing Collection launched
[1]The company introduced compact contemporary kanteles inspired in part by older Baltic and Slavic zither traditions.
- 2000
Company formally established
[1]Koistinen Kantele was formally established as a company after decades of family instrument-making.
- 1999
Koistinen Electric 1 introduced
[1]The company presented its 39-string solid-body electric kantele at a Kalevala anniversary event in Helsinki.
- 1995
39-string Concert Kantele added
[1]The Concert Kantele line expanded with a 39-string model.
- 1993
Concert Kantele receives strong results in blind comparison
[1]Two Koistinen instruments placed first and second in a double-blind comparison involving seven builders and eight kanteles.
- 1987
Ritva Koistinen establishes a solo kantele department
[1]Ritva Koistinen founded the solo kantele department at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
- 1957
Otto Koistinen builds his first kantele
[1]The family's instrument-making history begins with Otto Koistinen's first kantele.
Products and positioning
A specialist Finnish instrument maker that combines traditional kantele craftsmanship with professional concert performance, contemporary design, and electric amplification.
Acoustic concert kantele · 1993
Concert Kantele
Koistinen's professional concert instruments emerged from Hannu Koistinen's development work between 1990 and 1993. The modern 38-string design introduced revised lever positions, a fully opening damper, and new string measurements. Later versions included 39 strings and technical changes intended to provide stronger projection, broader dynamics, greater acoustic volume, and controlled performance for professional musicians and institutions.
Electric kantele · 1999
Koistinen Electric 1
The Electric 1 is a 39-string solid-body electric kantele developed for amplification, ensemble playing, and larger performance spaces. Its two built-in microphones were designed to balance the full range while retaining the instrument's distinctive tone. An angled support allowed the player to perform standing and improved audience visibility, helping reposition the kantele as a viable contemporary band and stage instrument.
Compact modern kantele · 2001
Wing Collection
The Wing Collection comprises small five- to fifteen-string kanteles with a distinctive pine-seed-like silhouette. The concept draws on the ancient Russian gusli and Latvian kokle while using modern construction and colorful finishes. Built-in pickups, shoulder straps, and levers support portability, amplification, and accessible performance in educational, recreational, and contemporary musical settings.
Brand decisions
2001
Introduce the Wing CollectionProduct launchBackground
The company sought to make the kantele more contemporary, portable, and accessible beyond the traditional concert format.
Action taken
It launched compact five- to fifteen-string instruments with modern shapes, colorful designs, pickups, straps, and levers.
Aftermath
The collection broadened the brand's offer toward portable, educational, and contemporary-use instruments.
1999
Move into solid-body electric kantele designProduct launchBackground
Traditional kanteles have a relatively gentle acoustic sound, limiting their use in louder venues and some ensemble settings.
Action taken
Koistinen Kantele developed and introduced the 39-string Electric 1 with built-in microphones, an angled support, and a standing performance format.
Aftermath
The instrument expanded the kantele's potential into amplified concerts, bands, and a wider range of musical styles.
Recent events
- 2012
Koistinen Kantele receives the Rantasalmi Prize[1]
Other
The company received the Rantasalmi Prize for advances in kantele quality, sound, design, and the instrument's modern cultural image.
- 2010
Eero Broman joins ownership and chairs the board[1]
Leadership change
Eero Broman became a part-owner and chair of the Koistinen Kantele board as ownership broadened beyond the immediate family.
- 2010
Ritva Koistinen performs at Carnegie Hall[1]
Other
Ritva Koistinen performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, contributing to the international profile of Finnish kantele performance.
- 2006
Electric 1 included in Finnish Design Yearbook[1]
Other
The Koistinen Electric 1 was featured in the Finnish Design Yearbook alongside products from recognized Finnish design brands.
- 2001
Wing Collection introduced[1]
Product launch
Koistinen Kantele launched a compact range of five- to fifteen-string modern kanteles featuring distinctive shapes, pickups, straps, and levers.
- 1999
Koistinen Electric 1 presented at Kalevala anniversary event[1]
Product launch
The 39-string solid-body Koistinen Electric 1 was introduced at an event marking the 150th anniversary of Kalevala in Helsinki.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/koistinen-kantele · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled