Olli Kortekangas

Olli Kortekangas (1955) studied music theory and composition at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from 1974-1981 under the direction of Einojuhani Rautavaara and Eero Hämeenniemi. He continued his studies in West Berlin with Dieter Schnebel in 1981-1982. Kortekangas has also worked as a teacher, including periods at the National Theatre Academy and the Sibelius Academy, and has taken part in a number of educational projects with children and young people, both in Finland and abroad.  Kortekangas' music has been featured in concerts and at festivals around the world, and his works his works are being commissioned at an increasing rate. He has received numerous scholarships and awards in Finland and abroad, including the Special Prize of the Prix Italia Competition and the City of Salzburg Opera Prize, the prestigious Teosto Prize and the Espoo Medal in 2008. He has been granted a 5-year-scholarship of the Arts Council of Finland three times.  Kortekangas’ oeuvre consists of more than 100 works from solo pieces and chamber music to orchestral works and operas. Since his early days as a choral singer, Kortekangas has been attracted to the human voice and has written several operas and a large number of choral works. During his residency with the Oulu Symphony Orchestra in 1997-2007 Kortekangas turned his attention to orchestral composition. His orchestral works include Konzertstück for clarinet, cello and orchestra (1993), Charms, concerto for piano trio and orchestra (1998) and Clarinet Concerto premiered by the Oulu Symphony Orchestra in 2014.  Kortekangas' output also includes also a number of chamber and instrumental solo works as well as chamber music with voice. Throughout his career, Kortekangas has been interested in collaboration with other arts and artists. Among his most important partners are the painters Raija Malka and Kuutti Lavonen, the choreographer Päivi Järvinen, and the playwright-director Michael Baran.