Total Cello Ensemble – A unique group of six top-notch cellists tears down musical barriers in a repertoire ranging from classical to popular, emulating Formula 1 races or striking up a stirring tango. For 30 years now, we have been putting our cellos through their paces, never compromising on musical quality!

The Total Cello Ensemble was set up by Hannu Kiiski – cellist, cello teacher, Lecturer Emeritus – for students of his cello class at the Sibelius Academy in 1994, as a respite from the often lonely pursuit of classical music studies. Over the years, 36 musicians have passed through the ranks of the TCE.

The TCE boasts an extensive repertoire from classical to popular and including wildly original show numbers. New music is being written and arranged for the ensemble all the time. The TCE has merged classical and popular music into a showcase of the expressive potential and sound world of the cello, pushing the envelope like never before. The six-member ensemble can demonstrate how cellos can conjure up a Formula 1 race, strike up stirring tangos or advocate for the Finland brand with Sibelius’s March of the Jaegers or the soundscape of a wilderness lake in Lapland. Whether Argentinean tangos or sentimental opera arias, all kinds of music are given a stunning performance.

The TCE has had some 500 performances to date, including corporate functions and appearances at various festivals. Guest artists have included Mari Palo, Marzi Nyman, Soile Isokoski, Essi Luttinen, Marjukka Tepponen and Niko Kumpuvaara. On Independence Day in 2016, the TCE performed at the reception at the President’s Palace, and they were also invited by the President to perform at an Independence Day celebration held for war veterans and members of the Lotta Women’s Auxiliary at the President’s Palace in 2022.