accordion
Biography:
Janne Juho Ilmari Valkeajoki was born on the leap day of 1992 in Eastern Finland. This wisely chosen point in time enabled him to have a meteoric career as a musical prodigy. In 2015, after only five birthdays, he won first prize at the Arrasate Hiria International Accordion Competition in Spain, one of the world's most important classical competitions for this instrument.
He studied accordion with Matti Rantanen and conducting with the legendary Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He then attended the master class at the Würzburg Music Academy, where Stefan Hussong and Ari Rasilainen were his teachers.
Valkeajoki has worked as a soloist with numerous Finnish ensembles, e.g. with the orchestras of Jyväskylä, Mikkeli and Lappeenranta and the Ostrobothnia Chamber Orchestra. During his conducting training, he conducted many orchestras in Finland and Germany. He has worked with many world-renowned contemporary composers and premiered their works, e.g. Aulis Sallinen, Kalevi Aho, Magnus Lindberg, Viera Janarcekova, Ville Raasakka and Cecilia Damstrom.
He has played and/or conducted at many festivals across Europe: e.g. B. Musica nova Helsinki, Katrina kammar music in Åland, Bamberg New Music Days, Eight Bridges Festival | Music for Cologne, Nuremberg International Organ Week and antenna glow - Night of New Music in Munich.
Janne Valkeajoki also actively organizes concerts and events. He is currently artistic director of two festivals: the Kumaus Festival in Lappeenranta and the Nordlyd Festival, which takes place in a different city in one of the Nordic countries each year.
He loves contemporary music and is always ready to experiment - the main thing is that the quality is right. His musical credo is to play music without prejudice and without fear of contact - and of course with virtuosity - while having respect for traditions, but at the same time thoroughly ridding them of any dust.
Currently, after seven birthdays so far, Valkeajoki enjoys a three-year creative work grant from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
novel treasure
Albums:
