Olli Leppäniemi, Clarinet
Biography
Olli Leppäniemi, Finnish clarinetist born in 1980. Mr. Leppäniemi is a versatile clarinetist who works as an orchestral musician, soloist and as a chamber musician. In the spring 2009 he won the position of the Principal Clarinet in the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. In 2007 he was appointed in the Principal Clarinet position of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Before his tenure in Bergen he was the Principal Clarinet of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra in Finland.
Mr. Leppäniemi was awarded 1st prize in the Carl Nielsen Competition in 2009. He also received the Odense Symphony Orchestra Prize and the Prize for the Best Performer of Danish Works. He has previously been a prizewinner in the 2008 International Prague Spring Clarinet Competition and in Lahti National Wind Instrumentalist Competition.
Mr. Leppäniemi frequently gives recitals and performs as soloist and enjoys also collaborating with the composers of our time. He has premiered works by various Finnish composers, such as Kimmo Hakola, Sampo Haapamäki and Aki Yli-Salomäki. His soloist appearances include performances with the Bergen Philharmonic, Odense Symphony Orchestra as well as several Finnish orchestras . He has given solo recitals in Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen, Bergen, Geneva and Los Angeles.
As a very active chamber musician, Mr. Leppäniemi has performed a vast amount of chamber literature for the clarinet. He has performed in various important European festivals, such as the Risør, Murten, Tuusulanjärvi and Ruovesi festivals.
Mr. Leppäniemi has a Masters degree from the Sibelius-Academy. He has also studied at Norwegian Music Academy in Oslo with Hans-Christian Bræin and at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles with Yehuda Gilad.
Copenhagen Artists represents Olli Leppäniemi world wide.