Harri Sippel has studied viola at the Turku Conservatory and the Sibelius Academy, where he graduated from with a Master of Music degree in 1987. He has complemented his studies in Stockholm with Björn Sjögren and as a chamber musician in London with the Alberni Quartet and Howard Davis.

Sippel has performed as a viola soloist, extensively as a chamber musician and in recital. As alto with the Aboa Quartet, he has performed in London, Cambridge, Bratislava, St Petersburg and widely at home. In December 2018, Sippel performed as a member of the Nordic Light Piano Quartet on an 11-concert tour of China. Harri Sippel is a founding member and current chairman of the chamber music ensemble Turku Ensemble and has performed with the ensemble since 1984.

After several years as principal viola in the Turku City Orchestra, Sippel took up teaching viola at the Turku Conservatory and Turku University of Applied Sciences.

Sippel co-founded the Iitti Music Festival in 2002 and served as the festival’s executive director from its inception until 2014. In addition to this role, he has performed as an artist at the festival. Sippel is the founder of a national music course in cooperation with the Iitti Music Festival Association and Perheniemi College, and has been responsible for its planning and implementation since 2004.