I’ve always enjoyed performing – being in connection with people, sharing music, emotions and ideas. Even as a child, I understood that music isn’t just about playing notes; it’s about communication. That’s why I also love to speak, tell stories, explain things and bring them to life. On stage, I want to be fully present – playing, singing or talking. And often all three at once.

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I’m trained as a recorder player, saxophonist and singer. I studied rhythm music at the Pop & Jazz Conservatory and completed my Master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy, earning diplomas in both of my instruments. Today, I teach recorder at the Sibelius Academy myself.

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The recorder has taken me on a long and rich journey – I’ve performed as a soloist with over ten Finnish symphony orchestras and premiered more than 40 new works for the instrument. Key collaborators have included composers Kalevi Aho, Jouni Hirvelä, Jukka Tiensuu and Juha Pisto, as well as conductors John Storgårds and Dima Slobodeniouk. I’ve served as guest concertmaster in several Finnish orchestras and toured internationally, most recently with the Norrlandsoperan orchestra in Sweden. In 2023, BIS Records released my recording of Aho’s recorder concerto.

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As a saxophonist, I’m involved in many different ensembles. I play baritone sax in the Aava saxophone quartet, perform with DJs at weddings and events, and lead my own band. I also spent nearly 20 years playing saxophone in the Finnish Defence Forces' Representative Band The Guards Band and appeared many times at the Independence Day Reception as the leader of Kaartin Combo.

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I actively sing in a variety of groups, and I especially enjoy performing pop, soul and jazz. I often combine singing with playing either the saxophone or the recorder – something still relatively rare in Finland. I’ve shared the stage with well-known Finnish artists such as Diandra, Maria Lund, Laura Voutilainen and Johanna Försti. As a performer, I find it natural to move between genres and instruments – always looking to connect with the audience in a meaningful way.

 

Chamber music is also close to my heart. As a recorder player, I’ve performed baroque repertoire with Kentala Consort and BRQ Vantaa Ensemble, and collaborated with harpsichordists, lutenists and other specialists. I’m especially interested in programming that brings together old and new, structure and freedom. I’ve performed at numerous festivals in Finland and abroad with both of my instruments and worked with a wide range of musicians in very different projects.

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I’ve taught music at various levels and institutions – in addition to the Sibelius Academy, I’ve done pedagogical work at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, the University of Jyväskylä and Tampere University of Applied Sciences. I’m one of the founding members of the Finnish Recorder Society and served as its chair for 15 years.

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I’ve also worked to raise the profile of the recorder through my YouTube channel, and you can hear my playing in films (The Potato Venture, 2021; The Making of a Japanese / Instruments of a Beating Heart, 2023), games (Iron Danger, 2020; Clash of Clans Legendary Scenery, 2024), and even in the soundscape of a cruise ship (M/S Finnsirius, 2023).

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I enjoy all kinds of settings – large concert halls and intimate rooms, formal events and relaxed gatherings. What matters most to me is that music means something. Sometimes that meaning is found in a single note, sometimes in a shared groove, and often in the moment when someone in the audience experiences something new.