Timo Väänänen, born in 1970, is a virtuoso of the kantele, Finland's national musical instrument, known to some experts as the Finnish psaltery. He plays various types of kantele, from the small five-string version to the 39-string concert model. He is currently a specialist member of the Kantele 2001 development project team. A leading aim of the project is to draw attention to the unused musical potential of the kantele and to develop new forms of the instrument. One new instrument to emerge from the project is described as a combination of the 15-string Latvian kokles and the Finnish small kantele (see picture). It, in turn, prompted the development of a 21-string electric kantele, which is solid like a rock guitar. It incorporates a built-in microphone and is played supported by a strap around the musician's neck.

Väänänen studied at the Sibelius Academy's folk music department, where immersion in traditional melodies and playing techniques was complemented by the creation of new music. Among his teachers were Martti Pokela, one of the most eminent authorities on Finnish traditional music, and the master folk musician Toivo Alaspää.

Timo Väänänen plays in the groups Á tre and Loituma and his recordings include Sonata for Kantele (Warner, Finlandia), Loituma: Loituma (Institute of Folk Music), Snow Kantele (Warner, Finlandia / Innovator) and Loituma: Kuutamolla (Institute of Folk Music). Scheduled for release in autumn 1998 is a new solo album, Viileri (Warner, Finlandia / Innovator), which features, in addition to music, a multimedia section in nine languages.