Olli Mustonen facts for kids

Olli Mustonen is a talented musician from Finland. Born on June 7, 1967, he is known for being a fantastic pianist, a skilled conductor who leads orchestras, and a creative composer who writes his own music.

All About Olli Mustonen

Olli Mustonen started playing music at a very young age. He began learning the harpsichord and piano when he was just five years old. Later, he also studied how to compose music, which means writing it. In 1987, he won a big competition called the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. This led to his first major performance in New York City at a famous place called Carnegie Hall.

Olli Mustonen has made many recordings of his piano playing. His first solo album, which featured music by Dmitri Shostakovich and Charles-Valentin Alkan, won important awards like the Gramophone Award and the Edison Award. He has recorded music by famous composers like Beethoven and many modern Russian composers. People around the world consider him one of the best pianists of his time.

Besides playing and composing, Olli Mustonen has also helped organize music events. He was the artistic director for the Korsholm Music Festival in 1988 and the Turku Music Festival from 1990 to 1992. He also helped start and direct the Helsinki Festival Orchestra. Since 2003, he has conducted the chamber orchestra Tapiola Sinfonietta.

In 1999, Olli Mustonen performed a brand new piano concerto called "Four Russian Songs" by Rodion Shchedrin. This piece was written especially for him. He performed it with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra.

As a composer, Olli Mustonen likes to create music that mixes old and new styles. His music often uses ideas from the 17th and 18th centuries, like the music of Bach, but with a modern twist.

Olli Mustonen's Recordings

Olli Mustonen has recorded many albums, mostly as a pianist. Here are some of the composers whose music he has recorded:

• Igor Stravinsky
• Dmitri Shostakovich
• Charles-Valentin Alkan
• Modest Mussorgsky
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• Mily Balakirev
• Ludwig van Beethoven
• Sergei Prokofiev
• Edvard Grieg
• Frédéric Chopin
• Leoš Janáček
• Paul Hindemith
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• Olivier Messiaen
• Rodion Shchedrin (as conductor)
• Jean Sibelius
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (as conductor)
• Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Ottorino Respighi
• Alexander Scriabin

Olli Mustonen's Compositions

Olli Mustonen has written many pieces of music himself. Here are some of his notable compositions:

• Divertimento (1979) for piano and orchestra
• Fantasia (1985) for piano and strings
• Toccata (1989) for piano, string quartet and double bass
• Two Nonets (1995, 2000) for two string quartets and double bass
• Concerto for Three Violins (1998)
• Sinuhe (2005–2006) – a sonata for solo oboe
• Jehkin Iivana (2004/2006) – a sonata for guitar or piano
• Sonata for cello and piano (2006)
• Symphony No. 1 Tuuri (2012) for baritone and orchestra
• Symphony No 2, Johannes Angelos (2013)
• Symphony No 3, Taivaanvalot (Heavenly Lights) (2020)
• String Quintet No. 1 (2015)
• String Quartet No. 1 (2017)

His music often combines different styles. You might hear elements of neo-classical music, which looks back to older, clear styles. There are also neo-baroque sounds, inspired by the Baroque period, and romantic feelings, which are more emotional. He also uses minimalist patterns, which repeat simple musical ideas. His fast, lively pieces often have a strong rhythm, while his slower pieces are more emotional and romantic.

See also

In Spanish: Olli Mustonen para niños