In 1995, Pekka Kuusisto became the first Finnish violinist to win the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition. He also received a special prize for the best performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto.
One of the most versatile and distinctive musicians working today, Kuusisto is known for his unusually free and fluid approach, and he has been acclaimed for the spontaneity and freshness of his playing.
As he puts it, “I don’t play to be different or the same as anyone else; I just play it the way I think it and feel it.” (Häyrynen, Ondine, 2009)
Pekka Kuusisto (Photo: Kaapo Kamu)
To celebrate his birthday on 7 October, let’s explore Kuusisto’s gift for improvisation, his love of exploring different musical styles, and the intensity he brings to each of them.
Pekka Kuusisto performs Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor
Landscapes of Memory
Pekka Kuusisto
Commissioned by Midori, Einojuhani Rautavaara composed his Lost Landscapes in 2005. The work describes important places from his wandering years when he studied abroad. These landscapes are full of memories, atmosphere, and plenty of nostalgia, yet genuinely emotional.
The opening movement “Tanglewood” refers to the celebrated summer courses he attended, and the second movement takes us to “Ascona,” where Rautavaara studied twelve-tone technique in 1957. “Rainergasse 11, Wien”, the address of the Palais Schönburg, describes the dying embers of an era and culture, and “West 23rd Street, NY” prompts fiery recollections of this large metropolis.
Kuusisto recorded Lost Landscapes with pianist Paavali Jumppanen in 2011, and the violinist showcases his distinctive approach to contemporary Finnish repertoire. Critics described his playing as splendidly alert and expressive, and praised the “Tanglewood” movement in particular for its atmospheric, impressionistic character.
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Lost Landscapes (Pekka Kuusisto, violin; Paavali Jumppanen, piano)
A Family of Musicians
Pekka and Jaakko Kuusisto
Pekka Kuusisto comes from a long musical lineage. His grandfather Taneli Kuusisto was a composer, organist, conductor, and music educator who served as director of the Sibelius Academy for 12 years.
His son Ilkka Kuusisto served as general manager of the Finnish National Opera from 1984 to 1992, and he composed 18 operas, as well as symphonic, instrumental, and vocal works. Jazz was an important early influence, and he introduced his sons Jaakko and Pekka to jazz improvisation and a broad range of musical styles.
Their mother, Marja-Liisa Kuusisto, was a piano teacher and played a crucial role in her sons’ early training. Pekka’s fascination with jazz, improvisation, and genre-crossing collaborations is essentially an extension of the musical language of his childhood.
Jaakko, also a violinist, became concertmaster of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, and he composed several operas and symphonic works. Jaakko and Pekka remained closely connected throughout their lives, as you can hear in this rather speedy performance of the Bach Concerto for 2 Violins.
Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043 (Jaakko Kuusisto, violin; Pekka Kuusisto, violin; Tapiola Sinfonietta)
Finishing his Brother’s Dream
Pekka Kuusisto at Fest der Freude 2019
Jaakko Kuusisto composed roughly 40 works, including chamber and vocal music, orchestral pieces, operas, and film music. He also worked as an arranger and always dreamed of writing a symphony for a large orchestra. That dream came true with a commission from Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra in 2017.
Initial musical ideas emerged in 2019, and Jaakko wrote down some fragments, but sadly, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died before completing his symphony. His brother Pekka and the music engraver Jari Eskola took on the task of completing the work.
Reviewing the remaining fragments, Pekka found many familiar themes, melodies, and even extra-musical inspirations. They reflected Jaakko’s past and also the sombre turn that his life had taken. The central element of this work is an ascending tritone, as in Sibelius’ darkest work, his Fourth Symphony, which was itself overshadowed by the composer’s serious illness.
Pekka and Jari made Jaakko’s greatest dream come true when the Minnesota Orchestra premiered the symphony in 2022. By completing his brother’s unfinished symphony, Pekka took on his brother’s musical voice, which could no longer speak for itself.
From Sibelius to Bach, and from Rautavaara to Jaakko’s unfinished symphony, Pekka Kuusisto has defied musical boundaries and followed a path of curiosity and unmistakable individuality.
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Jaakko Kuusisto: Symphony, Op. 39 (completed by P. Kuusisto and J. Eskola) (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra; Pekka Kuusisto, cond.)
