(c) Arttu Takalo 2004
Veli Kujala (b. 1976) gained his Master of Music degree at the Sibelius Academy in 2004 with highest honors. He is a prize-winner of many international soloist and concert accordion competitions, including first prize in the International Lasse Pihlajamaa -competition in Tampere 2001 and fourth prize in the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in Rotterdam 2001. As a composer he has also been awarded second prize in the international composition contest organized by the London Accordion Festival 2001 and was voted the best composer in the Brussels Jazz Orchestra Composition Contest 2003 by the public.
He has performed as a soloist with ensembles including the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Avanti!, the Kymi Sinfonietta and the Pori Sinfonietta. He plays regularly in the brazilian-ugrian band Pipoka, experimental jazz group Gourmet and the Pekka Pohjola Band, all consisting of top Finnish jazz musicians.
As an arranger he has worked with the Finnish National Opera and in many different music theatre productions. He has performed in numerous festivals in many European countries and in the USA. Veli Kujala has also worked with contemporary composers such as Kalevi Aho, Pekka Pohjola, Vesa Valkama, Uljas, Pulkkis, Tomi Räisänen, Helmut Zapf and Sampo Haapamäki to widen the concert accordion repertoire.
Please look at Veli Kujala's homepage for more info