VIP Biography for
Wilho F. Saari
 | Wilho F. Saari |
| Industry | Performing Arts |
| Title | Writer, Performer |
| Expertise | Music composition and performance |
| Type of Organization | Performing arts |
| Major Product | Kantele music |
| Area of Distribution | International |
| University/Degree | B.A., Sacred Music; B.A., Music Education, Northwest College |
| Honors & Awards | Awarded the Governor's Heritage Award for his work popularizing and teaching the kantele; one of ten recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) award of an NEA National Heritage Fellowship, the country's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts |
| Published Works | Music CD's including Kantele Songs of Praise and Vilhon Vintiltä; 4000+ compositions in progress |
| Affiliations | Finnish American Festival, Finnish American Historical Society |
| Career Accomplishments | He is a fifth-generation Finnish American player of the kantele, the Finnish psaltery. Kreeta Haapasalo, a well-known kantele player in Finland in the 19th century, was his great-great grandmother. He performed at FinnFest USA '06, an annual national festival, where he participated in the world premiere of a Kantele Mass composed by Jarkko Yli-Annala. |
| Work History | Grade school teacher for 34 years including 3 years in Liberia, Africa in a missions school and 23 years at Naselle Youth Camp School |
| Children | Riki Saari, Karen Nelson; 6 grandchildren |
| Spouse | Kaisa Saari |
| Married | June 21, 1957 |
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