ESCANABA — Bay College is hosting an evening with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra’s very own Midsummer Strings: Finnish Folk Trio. This is their second time performing on the Besse stage. The concert is May 25 and starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

“We are really excited to come back to Escanaba to perform our second all Finnish Concert. Last time we had great energy from the audience and loved performing for the Escanaba community,” said Maija Niemi, violinist of the trio.

The Finnish Folk Trio has performed a wide range of Finnish folk music from various time periods over the course of 20 plus years, and features two violins, a cello, singing and the kantele (a Finnish lap harp). All three artists are regular members of the Marquette Symphony Orchestra and all are of Finnish descent.

Tickets are on sale now. Visit www.baycollege.tix.com, drop by the Box Office, or call 906-217-4045 for tickets. For discounted K-Bay tickets, visit the Box Office with photo ID/Bay ID. Discounted tickets can be purchased in-person. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Maija (Savolainen) Niemi is the first violinist and does a lot of our arrangements. She is from Ishpeming, where she works remotely as a software engineer and is married with three children. Maija started playing the violin at a very young age, learning from her mom. Her dad is from Kuopio, Finland and her mom’s family is American Finn. She loves traveling to Finland any chance she gets.

Marianne Saarivirta-Kolpack is the second violinist and main vocalist. Marianne is a native of Marquette. She began taking violin lessons as a part of an afterschool music program. She is married with two children. Marianne is the lead teacher for Head Start and GSRP (CAAM) housed at Superior Central Schools in Eben Junction. Her mother and late father are both from Finland (Pori and Siikainen in southwest Finland). Marianne loves her Finnish heritage, which is why music is so important.

Seija (Alasimi) Kenn is a cellist. Seija is from Negaunee, where she started cello in the public schools. She is married and has two children and works as a laboratory supervisor at UP Health System Marquette. Her family of origin has proudly kept their Finnish heritage alive through owning and operating a Finnish bakery and enjoying traditional handcrafts.