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Matti Kallio
Matti is one of the very few Irish 2-row accordion players in Finland. He has been taught by the legendary box players Martin O'Connor and Jackie Daly. He has played in a variety of Finnish Irish folk bands, like The Heirs, Sibyl Vane and Red Rum. Matti is a career musician, and during his colourful career he has also worked with artists like Hector, Värttinä, Vesa-Matti Loiri and Anna Eriksson. With Kilta he plays the box, flute and some whistles.
Markus Asunta
Markus has been playing music since childhood days. While receiving tuition in classical flute, his main instruments throughout teenage years were the guitar and his voice. He writes songs in Finnish, or at least he still tries to. For a few years now he has been trying to fund his studies partially by playing music. Besides the bands he is currently involved with, he performs as a duo with a friend of his - collectively they're known as Linko & Asunta. After the turn of the millenium he started to find Irish traditional music more and more fascinating. He picked up the tin whistle and eventually, having played the classical flute quite a bit in the past, got himself into playing the Irish flute as well. He quickly found himself playing in sessions in Helsinki, and eventually in a variety of groups. So far they've been performing in Irish pubs in and out of Helsinki and supported Leonard Barry, Michelle O'Brien and Cyril O'Donoghue in Tavastia Club at the Irish Festival in Finland 2004. Although his first inspiration as a flute player was definitely Matt Molloy, he soon realized that his own path won't take him into trying to imitate Molloy's magical style. Instead, he was drawn to the powerful rhythmic expression of Harry Bradley and Conal O'Grada. He also enjoys very much the playing of such exponents of the Sligo/Roscommon style as Catherine McEvoy and the late Josie McDermott. Later on the music of these players has led him to the musicians of days gone; especially John McKenna. In the summer of 2003 he travelled to Ireland for 6 weeks to visit sessions and take a few lessons. Among his teachers that time were Gavin Whelan and Cian O'Suilleabhain.
He has spent the academic year 2005-2006 in Limerick, collecting material for his church history Master's thesis concerning Irish music and also attending tuition in the Irish Academy of World Music and Dance. His teachers have included Kirsten Allstaff and Niall Keegan, and he has also been attending workshops by Harry Bradley. During spring 2006 he will also be receiving tuition from at least Conal Ó Grada, Hammy Hamilton, Paul McGrattan and Jean-Michel Veillon at the Flute Meeting in Ballyvourney, Co. Cork.
Antti Havia
Antti has recently moved into Helsinki, and besides driving around in an old Nissan wagon he also drives a taxi. Most of his spare time is spent around music, like the O'Malleys Irish Bar sessions. Antti plays the guitar and fiddle, but has been seen playing the buzuki as well. He enjoys listening to Kevin Burke and Paddy Glackin.
Ville Karas
Ville is the new kid on the block in Irish folk music. After playing the guitar since he was 15, his first contact with Irish folk music was after midsummer 2000, when Matti Kallio (of The Heirs and Kilta fame) was giving an Irish-influenced music workshop at a youth camp. While working at the camp, he got interested in flok music and quickly afterwards bought himself a tin whistle and a low whistle. By november 2001 he decided to expand his stringed instrument knowledge by ordering an Irish buzuki, and very soon this became his main instrument. He is nowadays actively playing the tenor banjo as well, and has been playing the bodhrán every now and then. Despite his short Irish music career, he has played in several bands including Scéalta and Kings are Kneeling. He has been influenced by several talented musicians and bands, of which the domestic Irish folk band The Heirs is probably his biggest inspiration. From foreign artists he lists Cyril O'Donoghue, Mick Broderick and Angelina Carberry.