Biography
I am an accordionist, composer, arranger, and educator from Rõuge, Võrumaa, in Southern Estonia. Currently, I work as a freelance musician, accordion teacher, composer, arranger, and barista. I live in Helsinki, Finland, and frequently commute to Estonia. In 2024, I taught three courses on Nordic folk music at the Estonian College of Music and Ballet (MuBa). I also teach at summer camps and am actively seeking more opportunities to apply my musical expertise.
I'm passionate about sharing my knowledge of accordion playing, composition, folk music (both Nordic and Estonian), album production, mentoring, and other music-related subjects. Feel free to contact me for lessons, collaborations, or even a good cup of coffee!
How it all started?
My journey with the accordion began at the age of 9 when I enrolled at Võru Music School, studying classical accordion under the guidance of Siiri Kahar. From the very beginning, she nurtured my curiosity, encouraging me to not only focus on classical repertoire but also to explore other genres like jazz and popular music. This opened up a world of possibilities and gave me a broader perspective on what the accordion could do.
After completing my studies at Võru Music School, I faced a pivotal moment — continuing my education. Since my beloved home village of Rõuge didn't have a high school, I made the decision to move to Tartu. It was a big step, moving away from home at a young age, but it led me to Hugo Treffner Gymnasium and Tartu Heino Eller Music School. While balancing the academic challenges of gymnasium, I continued my formal musical education at Heino Eller, where I delved deeper into classical music.
The move to Tartu was not just a geographical shift, but also a step into a much broader world of learning and opportunity. The combination of academic and musical training during those years shaped me profoundly, allowing me to refine my skills and grow both as a musician and a person. It was here, in the vibrant atmosphere of Tartu, that my passion for music was truly solidified.
How I got into jazz and yes, I studied the vibraphone! Curious? Keep on reading!
After earning my high school diploma, I continued at Heino Eller Music College. In my second year at Eller Music College, I transitioned from classical to jazz music department. I spoke with the department head, who agreed to let me study jazz on the accordion if I could recruit one more student. Thanks to Erik for joining me on that journey!
I studied with Jaak Lutsoja and other talented teachers and musicians, including Lembit Saarsalu, Mariell Piispea, Margus Tammemägi, . During this time, I began composing and discovered my own voice. Over the course of those four years, I played in various groups and projects. I even picked up a second instrument —the vibraphone — which I absolutely loved and miss playing!
Discovering folk music
After graduating from Heino Eller, I continued at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, initially focusing on jazz. Along the way, I took lessons from Tuulikki Bartosik, who had a profound influence on me. In 2015, I attended the NordTrad conference in Denmark, which was a life-changing experience. Witnessing the living tradition in Sønderho left me in awe, and I realized that folk music was my true calling. It's there that I learned about the Nordic Master in Folk Music Master's program, and that's when I truly found my place in folk music. I earned my bachelor's degree from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with a focus on Estonian folk music, then continued my studies at the Sibelius Academy in Finland as part of the Nordic Master in Folk Music Master's program.
Nordic Master in Folk Music
In the autumn 2019, I began my master's studies in the Nordic Master in Folk Music program. During the first semester, I studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm (KMH), where I had the honor of learning from the incredible Leif Ottosson. The second semester took me to Denmark, where I was taught by the wonderfully positive Mette Kathrine Jensen Stærk. By autumn 2020, I was back in Finland, studying at the Sibelius Academy under Maria Kalaniemi, Olli Kari, and Timo Alakotila. While we were scheduled to study in Norway in spring 2021, the pandemic shifted all lessons online. I extended my studies, taking courses in film music history, film music composition, and various pedagogy courses. I graduated in June 2023.
Ethno World
ETHNO has played a huge role in my journey. I’ve been an artistic mentor at Ethno Estonia (2018), Ethno Sweden (2021), Ethno Palestine (2022), Ethno Flanders (2023), and Ethno Finland (2024), with more to come, I hope! I started as a participant (Ethno Estonia 2014), then became a volunteer and later attended Ethnofonik in France (2016), where I trained to become a mentor. Now, I mentor and help train new mentors!
Who do I love?
Some of my biggest influences include Jacob Collier, Coldplay, Bon Iver, Tigran Hamasyan, Basco, Dreamers' Circus, Timo Alakotila, Maria Kalaniemi, Laura Mvula, Kinnship, Estonian traditional music, and Nordic traditional music ❤️