Childhood
I was born in 1965 into a family of artists. My parents were acrobats, who were touring in Finland in the 1950’s and 1960’s with their own show. Then later after the family grew, they still continued their touring but this time as an acrobat family where my sisters and brothers were also performing on a stage together with them.
I was born in 1965 into a family of artists. My parents were acrobats, who were touring in Finland in the 1950’s and 1960’s with their own show. Then later after the family grew, they still continued their touring but this time as an acrobat family where my sisters and brothers were also performing on a stage together with them.
My acrobat parents in Helsinki, Finland (1950).
Chess, music and Italy
I started writing music and playing the piano when I was about 12 years old. I remember how I did put my fingers the first time on the keyboard, and right away, the profound connection made me start to write my own melodies. It must be something that comes from somewhere I cannot explain, and luckily this has continued all through my life until today.
Around that time, I found my second true passion, chess!... I used to spend countless hours studying the secrets of that game. Unfortunately, music started to fade out of my life in the years to come.
Studying chess at home (1979).
During my high school years I won twice the Finnish Youth Chess Championships and finally got the chess master title in 1985. During those years I was playing in many international chess tournaments, e.g. in the European Youth Championships and twice in the World Youth Chess Championships.
Slowly music found me again and I started composing, listening and studying classical music but also explore contemporary composing technics. At that time, I had an idea of having the first concert of my own classical compositions. For the concept to become a reality, I needed to explore new countries and culture to find inspiration for writing new material. So I found Italy, which would affect me significantly in the future…
Slowly music found me again and I started composing, listening and studying classical music but also explore contemporary composing technics. At that time, I had an idea of having the first concert of my own classical compositions. For the concept to become a reality, I needed to explore new countries and culture to find inspiration for writing new material. So I found Italy, which would affect me significantly in the future…
The first concert, exhibition and poetry
I spent the first winter in Italy in 1986 and kept writing new material for my concert. After returning back in Finland in the spring I was lucky to find a professional composer in my home town to who I could show my compositions and share ideas with. He was also willing to help me with my first serious compositions and giving some valuable tips for creative process. I am grateful for all that because you can never have enough help and support especially in the beginning of your career.
My first composition concert was held in spring 1987. The program included works for string quartet, small chamber orchestra, solo piano, and also for bigger string orchestra. It was organized jointly with my hometown's symphonic orchestra. The style of my music at that time was still more traditional in many aspects.
Composing in Florence, Italy (1986).
In 1988 we organized the first exhibition in Finland. It included sculptures from my mother, art photography from my brother and the music that I composed for that exhibition. A really nice artistic collaboration!
Slowly I became interested in poetry and French poets like Baudelaire and Rimbaud, etc. I was already writing my earliest poems during the first winter in Italy, but after finding those poets, I was truly inspired by them, so I began to write completely new kind of music based on a poem by Charles Baudelaire.
The first composition award
The upcoming piece was titled ”Tales for string quartet,” and my intention was to attend the composition competition that was held in 1988 in Finland. The jury included two famous Finnish composers, who liked my idea and innovative, versatile approach and experimental technics of string quartet too.
I shared the Second Prize in the competition. According to the jury, all the awarded compositions were of high-quality. Almost one hundred compositions were attended the competition anonymously.
More studying
After that award, I kept studying music and writing new materials. I became inspired by various composers and styles but was still trying to find my own musical language. In 1990, I attended the ”Time of Music” composing course.
After that award, I kept studying music and writing new materials. I became inspired by various composers and styles but was still trying to find my own musical language. In 1990, I attended the ”Time of Music” composing course.
The teacher was French composer, Jean-Claude Risset, best known for his pioneering contributions to computer music. He was a fantastic, very interesting and most sympathetic person, who brought many new aspects to the table about the creative process, and composing itself. You can learn more from him here.
More concerts, Russia and studying
My next concert was held in Moscow in 1991. The program included my latest string quartet and also a composition for solo piano. I had an excellent opportunity to get the pianist, Dmitri Klimov, from Moscow to perform that composition. It was also my first experience with Russian musicians, and it opened me to some collaboration chances with these world-class musicians for the future.
The following year in 1992, I had a chance to perform in Russia again but this time as a pianist. I was playing my latest solo piano composition in St. Petersburg ’92 festival.
Practising my solo piano work (Helsinki, 1992).
Later, that same year, I had my next concert again in St. Petersburg (the Small Hall of the Saint-Petersburg Philharmonia) with an entirely new program including my new string quartet and solo piano compositions. I was fortunate again to have Dmitri Klimov as a soloist for my piano piece.
The next fantastic world-class Russian musician I got to know was a multi-award winning cellist Alexej Massarskij from St. Petersburg. He was performing my composition titled ”Nostalgia” for solo cello in that concert.
That same year, I attended the ”Time of Music” composing course again. This time the teacher was a multi-award winning and critically acclaimed composer, York Höller, from Germany. Once again, just like with Jean-Claude, from him, I learned not only a new approach for composing but also different views and things about being a composer. You can learn more from him here.
My path crossed with the cellist Alexej Massarskij again in 1994 on my next concert in Finland when he came to perform my solo cello composition ”Constellations”. I wrote that piece especially for him and it was inspired by one of Japan's leading contemporary artists, Toshikatsu Endo.
Working with such a brilliant musician will always teach you so many valuable things about composing and making music together with live musicians.
With Alexej after our concert (Finland, 1994).
The second award, new challenges and evolving
My second award came in 2001 when I attended the INNOSUOMI competition in Finland where I was awarded the third place with my multimedia project called ”Verla”. It included old films and photos, virtual tours, videos, sounds, music, new innovative panorama and photo editing.
After that award, I have kept going on my endless artist journey. I have been trying to develop even more of my musical language, expanding my musical palette and techniques while also sharing my time with writing poems and all kinds of visual art, including mixing various editing techniques to create art.
My second award came in 2001 when I attended the INNOSUOMI competition in Finland where I was awarded the third place with my multimedia project called ”Verla”. It included old films and photos, virtual tours, videos, sounds, music, new innovative panorama and photo editing.
After that award, I have kept going on my endless artist journey. I have been trying to develop even more of my musical language, expanding my musical palette and techniques while also sharing my time with writing poems and all kinds of visual art, including mixing various editing techniques to create art.
