The Finnish accordionist and conductor Janne Valkeajoki (b. 1992) is a musical force of nature. Be it presenting his own Baroque adaptations or giving world premiere performances, either as a soloist or directing on the podium, Valkeajoki’s commitment is ever at the highest level. No wonder his roster includes inspired collaborations and notable commissions from composers such as Magnus Lindberg, Kalevi Aho, Vito Žuraj, Sebastian Hilli, Cecilia Damström, Aulis Sallinen, Pierluigi Billone, Michael Quell and Viera Janárčeková. Onstage, Valkeajoki’s musical presence is both intellectually ravishing and emotionally spellbinding, his sonorous imagination embracing structural clarity, refined detail, and visceral drive in equal measure.
Alongside uplifting live performances, Valkeajoki’s insightful readings can be heard on several fascinating album takes – his discography ranging from Jean-Philippe Rameau to new commissions, as caught on microphones by Orchid Classics, Neos, BIS Records, Kairos, and Alba Records.
In addition to his stature as an utmost dedicated international performing artist and creative partner, Valkeajoki’s multi-faceted musical personality encompasses artistic planning as well. As one of the three Artistic Directors of the Kumaus Festival in Lappeenranta, Finland, Valkeajoki has cultivated innovative programming and inclusive performance settings to engage versatile audiences. As a recurring guest performer at several ground-breaking festivals, he has made thrilling appearances at Musica Nova in Helsinki, Tage der Neuen Musik in Bamberg, Acht Brücken in Cologne, Our Festival by the Lake Tuusula, and Nacht der Neuen Musik in Munich, delivering musical messages firmly etched in sonorous memory.
Valkeajoki studied accordion and conducting at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts in Helsinki with Matti Rantanen and the one-and-only Jorma Panula, deepening his craft and knowledge at the University of Music in Würzburg, under Stefan Hussong and Ari Rasilainen. Valkeajoki’s further studies include Paavo Järvi’s Conductors’ Academy in conjunction with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
Regarding accolades, Valkeajoki is the winner of the 2015 Arrasate Hiria International Accordion Competition.
With his wondrously fresh, keenly attuned musicianship, Valkeajoki makes timeless classics such as Maurice Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin or J. S. Bach’s English Suites shine in whole new arrays of colors, while his premiere performances launch new works upon scintillating trajectories. Sharing the stage with his fellow musicians either as accordionist or conductor, Valkeajoki is thoroughly engaged in musical conversation, contributing to exquisite sounding summas, extending beyond their parts, towards shimmering musical horizons.
