is a Finnish kantel player and Esperantist who lives in Lahti, Finland.Timo Väänänen plays the kantel, the Finnish national musical instrument. He uses various types of the instrument, for example small chantels with 5–19 strings, a concert chantel with 39 strings and a 39-string electric chantel. He studied folk music at Sibelius Academy, the music university in Finland. His teachers were i.a. folk singer Toivo Alaspää and professor Martti Pokela.In 2008 he completed his artistic work for the diploma doctor in music, entitled The faces of Väinämöinen - kantel as a symbol. In 1997 he was named the young artist of the year by Finland Festivals. He made many compact discs and performed in many countries. He is editor-in-chief of the Finnish magazine Kantele.MusicTimo Väänänen plays both traditional and new music for kantel. He often composes improvisational repertoire for himself. With electric kantel he also uses the live-looping technique, uses computers and effects for electric guitar, e.g. the electric bow EBow. He often performs with dancer Päivi Järvinen, for example in the Esperanto art festival Arta lumo in Kuopio in 2007.