Alfred Kuus : Life Story

Alfred Kuus was born in Estonia in 1922 where he heard the music at home and learning from his uncles, began playing at the age of 8. By age 11 he was playing in folk music groups. Nothing has diminished his joy in this music, not WWII, his forced escape from Estonia, a disabling injury to his arm, or life as a displaced person. Everywhere he landed, he somehow managed to find/make a kannel to play.

During the 1950’s he played concerts all across Sweden, England and northern Europe, where he also accompanied folk dance troupes in competitions, made several recordings (now lost) and even a television program, before moving to Canada. In Canada, he wrote an instruction book on kannel, taught his skills to many younger people and for a period, had his own kannel orchestra in Toronto. Kuus has been recognized for his playing at a number of folk music festivals held in Estonia and the Baltic countries during recent years, but for those unable to hear him in concert, his work remains relatively undiscovered prior to the release of the "Dancing Kannel Tantsib" CD.

Alfred Kuus reminisces: "How the kannel called me to play"

"In the country, we had a tradition of 'ehalkäimine' (courting at sunset). Young men would play kannel at the windows of their girlfriends and of course, I would tag along while I was still very young. The kannel was placed on the window ledge and played there. The music resounding from those wooden houses was incredibly beautiful. This left me with an unforgettable impression of those still summer evenings. It also gave me the impetus to learn to play the kannel as soon as I was old enough. “Oh, if I could play like that, How I would play!” And up until now, I have played.

At that time, every farmhouse had a home made kannel. My father played a few tunes in the old style of picking, while my mother sang and accompanied herself playing the kannel with one or two fingers. I had two uncles who played, but I am especially thankful to my uncle Hendrik Jänes, who taught me the five finger playing technique. At that time, people did not use it much. Thanks to him, I was already learning this at 8 years of age and a few years later, I also was playing at the 'külasimmanns' (village parties), was well as at bonfires and local gatherings. But I have never forgotten my initial impressions of the beauty of the kannel music, echoing from the window ledges of those old wooden houses."