Baraka Issabu is a Tanzanian pianist, music educator, composer, arranger, and producer based in Helsinki, Finland. Rooted in the East African musical traditions, his work blends traditional rhythms and melodic language with afrojazz, afro-fusion and jazz, with the piano as the core storytelling instrument.

Through his involvement with the East Africa Global Music Campus (Tanzania), Baraka has deepened his practice in documenting, performing and transmitting regional music cultures. In 2023, he moved to Finland to pursue his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in the Global Music Programme of the Sibelius Academy, expanding his artistic horizons through rigorous study and intercultural collaboration.

Maarika Autio could sing before she could talk (TV jingles were a massive hit in the crib, much to her mom’s amusement) and began daily dance training at the age of nine. Having completed professional ballet education at the National Opera, it dawned on her that pointe shoes weren’t really her thing after all. Soon after, she found herself in Senegal, performing traditional local dances with a professional dance troupe. West Africa is where she stayed.

Since the late 90s, Maarika has been touring across the globe as member of several afro music formations and dance companies. As Africa changed also her main instrument, Maarika is now an internationally acknowledged, rare female practitioner of the West African diatonic balafon at the highest professional level. Based at the SibA, she is preparing her doctoral dissertation, examining the balafon’s creative possibilities and delving into issues related to multi-sourced artistic identity, exoticism, and cultural appropriation.

Kasheshi Makena contributes deep Tanzanian musical expertise as vocalist, percussionist, trombonist, and guitarist, leading multiple active ensembles including INDABA (2021 – ), Musase Quintet (2021 – ), and his namesake project Kasheshi Makena & Bhutula (2013 – 2017).

His performance practice integrates Swahili vocal traditions with contemporary jazz and global rhythms, evidenced by his membership in the Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble (vocals & percussions, 2019 – ) and The Shameless Shongololo Band (vocals, percussions, co-composer, 2020 – ). Makena’s work with Sisi Majitu dance group as guest teacher (2018) and his role in AITO Collective (vocalist, storyteller, 2017) demonstrate his commitment to embodied knowledge transmission.

Sikujua Mponda brings contemporary performance expertise in Afrobeat and urban dance, along with professional modeling and performance credits for major Finnish brands including Samsung, Kela, and Klaus K through Miltton Studio productions (2022). Her dance practice emphasizes Afrobeat, Twerk, and urban styles, creating accessible entry points for Finnish audiences into African diasporic movement traditions.

Sikujua has taught Afrobeat and urban dance to over 200 students across six Finnish institutions since 2014, including Studio Move, Danceteam International, Viba Tanssihalli, IMPI Aerial Dance Studio, and Etno fitness Oy. Her pedagogical practice emphasizes adult education, with specialized Twerk and Afrobeat courses that create safe spaces for body-positive cultural expression. Since 2021, she has operated her own company, producing choreography for video projects and community events, including the Afro Flash Mob at Mall of Tripla (2020) that promoted community cohesion through participatory dance.

Ossi Raippalinna has performed approximately 650 times throughout Finland since 2006, serving as percussionist and co-founder of the critically acclaimed ensemble Faso Kan (2006 – 2024) and the children’s music group Raka Bananer (2013 – 2017). His work with Faso Kan, which focuses on authentic West African Mandinka music, earned an Emma Award nomination in 2023 for their album “Tungaladen”, marking mainstream recognition for non-Western musical excellence in Finland.

Raippalinna’s performances are currently produced through his own company Ossi Percussion in partnership with Konserttikeskus ry, demonstrating sustainable artistic entrepreneurship.

Vasileios Katopodis performs as a session bassist and music director all across Europe since 2007, specializing in music from Brazil, Afrobeat, Ska, Greek Urban Folk (Rebetiko), and Punk. His artistic projects include “Rebetiko Helsinki” and the innovative “Home” Rebetiko 2.1 project, which reimagines Greek urban folk traditions through contemporary production techniques.

Katopodis’s performance work emphasizes cross-cultural ensemble direction, having directed groups ranging from intimate combos to large-scale orchestras that blend classical and global music influences. His work as Musician & Session Bass Player has seen him collaborate with diverse ensembles across Europe, producing transcultural experiences that challenge genre boundaries.