Taina Kokkonen
Encyclopedia
Taina Kokkonen is a former award-winning Finnish singer.
She has performed on Italian
TV, in Brussels
, and in Argentina
and Uruguay
as part of the Tango 2000 educational tour.
She first tried for the prestigious Tangomarkkinat
competition in 1995, but did not reach the semifinals. In 1996 she got through the Raisio semifinals and was one of the 10 best. She rather frightened herself with her success:
"I was in a great panic. I thought, do I really want this? . . . . I secretly hoped I wouldn't get any further. I have watched my performance on video and it shows how inexperienced I was." (Nyman, p. 175)
She did not however reach the Seinäjoki finals, and Saija Varjus
became Tango Queen. Taina's third attempt was in 1998, when she reached the finals and became Tango Princess, losing the winning place to Kirsi Ranto. After a record four attempts, she finally became Tango Queen in 1999.
In 2002, taking advantage of the new rule that songs may be in any language, she composed an Italian-language entry for the Eurovision Song Contest
. This was Silenzio, and was performed by Pertti Haverinen; but it was not selected, and the Finnish entry for that year was the English-language "Addicted to You", sung by Laura, which came 20th with 24 points.
Before she became a Tango Queen in Seinäjoki, Kokkonen had been finished her studies and became a Master of Education Sciences and a teacher in Hämeenlinna.
At the moment she works as a class teacher in Vantaa.
Year 2007 Kokkonen got married to a man called Cemo Timucin - working in an IT-branch and is educated as a Master of engineering and they live in Vantaa with their son Tino.
Year 2009 Taina Kokkonen worked during the summertime as a radiohost having morning programs in a local radiostation near Helsinki resort.
Taina Kokkonen the singer is not the same person as Taina Kokkonen the printmaker whose website is http://www.tainakokkonen.net.
She has performed on Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
TV, in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, and in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
as part of the Tango 2000 educational tour.
She first tried for the prestigious Tangomarkkinat
Tangomarkkinat
The Tangomarkkinat is the world's oldest tango festival. It is held early every July in Seinäjoki, Finland. As well as competitions to find the country's best tango singers, composers, and dancers, the festival features public dancing to live music provided by the best Finnish entertainers...
competition in 1995, but did not reach the semifinals. In 1996 she got through the Raisio semifinals and was one of the 10 best. She rather frightened herself with her success:
"I was in a great panic. I thought, do I really want this? . . . . I secretly hoped I wouldn't get any further. I have watched my performance on video and it shows how inexperienced I was." (Nyman, p. 175)
She did not however reach the Seinäjoki finals, and Saija Varjus
Saija Varjus
Saija Varjus is a Finnish popular musician. She was chosen the "Tango Queen" 1996 in the Tangomarkkinat festival in Seinäjoki. This was her second attempt: she had competed in 1993 but only reached as far as the semifinal....
became Tango Queen. Taina's third attempt was in 1998, when she reached the finals and became Tango Princess, losing the winning place to Kirsi Ranto. After a record four attempts, she finally became Tango Queen in 1999.
In 2002, taking advantage of the new rule that songs may be in any language, she composed an Italian-language entry for the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. This was Silenzio, and was performed by Pertti Haverinen; but it was not selected, and the Finnish entry for that year was the English-language "Addicted to You", sung by Laura, which came 20th with 24 points.
Before she became a Tango Queen in Seinäjoki, Kokkonen had been finished her studies and became a Master of Education Sciences and a teacher in Hämeenlinna.
At the moment she works as a class teacher in Vantaa.
Year 2007 Kokkonen got married to a man called Cemo Timucin - working in an IT-branch and is educated as a Master of engineering and they live in Vantaa with their son Tino.
Year 2009 Taina Kokkonen worked during the summertime as a radiohost having morning programs in a local radiostation near Helsinki resort.
Taina Kokkonen the singer is not the same person as Taina Kokkonen the printmaker whose website is http://www.tainakokkonen.net.
Sources
- Marja Nyman, Tangokuninkaalliset, Revontuli 2002, ISBN 952-5170-27-6
- Tony Latva and Petri Tuunainen, Iskelmän tähtitaivas, WSOY 2004, ISBN 951-0-27817-3
- Asko Murtomäki, Finland 12 points!, Teos 2007, ISBN 978-951-851-106-2