Olli Leppäniemi is one the leading clarinetists of our time. His solo career kicked off after he won the 1st Prize in the 2009 Carl Nielsen Clarinet Competition in Denmark. The audiences love him and he has already held 3 principal clarinet positions at such young age. Nowadays he works as Principal Clarinetist in the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. The previous principal clarinet positions were at Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway and in Lahti Symphony Orchestra in Finland. He has also visited many orchestras around the world as a guest principal clarinet.
Competitions and Awards
The first Finnish musician ever to have won the first prize in the prestigious international Carl Nielsen - competition.
The best interpretation of Danish music, and the Odense Symphony Orchestra prize.
A prize winner in the international Prague Spring - clarinet competition, in the international Verdi Note - competition in Italy.
A prize winner in the Lahti National wind instrument competition in Finland.
The 2010 Danish Music Critics Artist of The Year Award.
Finnish States Artist Grant for the year 2014.
Leppäniemi has studied clarinet in Los Angeles with Yehuda Gilad, with Hans Christian Braein in Oslo, and in Sibelius-Academy in Helsinki with Reijo Koskinen. He has appeared in several most important chamber music festivals and he has also made a long term commitment to music education as well. He performs and hosts masterclasses around the world and he currently teaches at Malmö, Sweden and Sibelius-Academy, Finland. He was also part of the jury at the Carl Nielsen Clarinet Competition in 2013 together with Yehuda Gilad, Sabine Meyer and Philippe Berrod.
Here is a video of him performing Carl Nielsens Clarinet Concerto;
So there is my clarinet teacher for the summer. He sounds pretty awesome!
I can't wait!
- Sinna