Composer, conductor and pianist Jukka Linkola (b. 1955) began his career in jazz, but since the 1980s he has become better known as a composer of serious music. His repertoire as a composer is exceptionally large. It contains not only orchestral works, concertos and chamber music but also operas, songs, musicals and jazz. In all, 40 recordings of Linkola’s works have so far been released. Linkola has composed a wealth of music for the stage. In 1976 he composed the music for a production by the Dance Theatre Raatikko called “Banana”. He composed the musicals “Peter Pan”, “Kallion kimallus”, “Peer Gynt” and “Boris Godunov” and the ballet “Näkki” for the Helsinki City Theatre, the musical “Max and Moritz” for the Theatre 2000 in Tampere, “Antti Puuhaara” for the Tampere Theatre and the musical “King Lear” for the TTT-Theatre of Tampere. In 1989 the Finnish National Opera commissioned a ballet for the story by Astrid Lindgren “Ronia the Robber’s Daughter”. Linkola has also composed the musicals “Kairatut sydämet”, “Mammutti puudelin luolassa”, “Häkkilintu” and “Astoria”. The opera “Elina” (1991) is the largest of Linkola’s stage works. The television opera “Angelika” premiered in 1992 is more like an oratorio. “Angelika” received the first prize in the Paris Opera Screen Competition in 1993 and one year later took the first prize in the Midem Awards in Cannes. The third opera by Jukka Linkola is “Täyttyneiden toiveiden maa” (also known as “Matka”/The Journey), which was composed for the 120th anniversary of the city of Kotka. The children’s opera “Joppe Jokamies” was completed in 2004. Jukka Linkola likes composing for symphony and chamber orchestras or large jazz ensembles dominated by wind and brass instruments, and he also uses soloists with various ensembles. Examples of such works are “Crossings” for tenor saxophone and orchestra composed in 1983, “Trumpet Concerto I” completed five years later, and “Trumpet Concerto II” from 1993. He has also written concertos for flute (1997), tuba (1995), euphonium (1996), trombone (1998), saxophone (1999) and organ (1999). “Trumpet Concerto III” was completed in 2002. “Aikapeili” is a large 16-movement suite for orchestra, soprano and baritone. “Sisu”, “Wedding Music” and “Tango Tarantella” are scored for wind and brass ensemble. The largest of Linkola’s works for big band are “The Grand Mystery”, “Structures” and “Pegasos”. In 1988 Linkola completed “Between Two Stages”, a work for a small ensemble (mezzo-soprano, cello and piano) that looked ahead to his future operas, and in the 1990s he began composing more chamber music than before. Works from this period include the Suite for percussion ensemble, the “Chalumeaux Suite” for clarinet ensemble (1993), “Winds” for string ensemble, “Dark Dance” for viola and piano and “Two Miniatures” for piano trio. The Flute Quintet, Clarinet Quintet and first String Quartet were also composed during the 1990s. The “Trio for Alto Saxophone, Violin and Piano” and “Ballata and Fugata” for piano trio date from 2003. In addition Linkola has composed several works for brass ensemble and many for concert kantele: “Summer Tales”, “Neliapila”, “Jortsut” and “Kolme karaktääriä”. In recent years Linkola has composed several choral works, such as “Evoe!” and the “Christmas Suite” for the Helsinki University Male Voice Choir (YL), “Primitive Music” and “Auringon ylistys” for descant choir and “Mieliteko” and “Ilo” for mixed choir. “Feuerwerk” and the “Promotion Cantata” are for choir with orchestral accompaniment. Linkola received the Emma Prize in 1998, when the album “Libau” by his ensemble EQ was awarded the title of Record of the Year. The musical “Kairatut sydämet” won the first prize in the LUSES competition for the composition of a musical in 1993. “Astoria” and “Häkkilintu” won prizes in the Hopeakuu music theatre competition organised by the Lahti City Theatre in 2002. “Astoria” was also selected for performance at the Lahti City Theatre. The music for the films “Lumikuningatar” and “Ihmiselon ihanuus ja kurjuus” received Jussi Awards in 1987 and 1989. In 1980 Linkola’s album “Kuinka myöhään valvoo blues” was chosen as the Record of the Year by the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Linkola received the Yrjö (Georgie) Award of the Finnish Jazz Federation as early as 1979 and won the first prize in the composition competition organised by Pori Jazz in 1980. He was again the receiver of the Hopeakuu music theatre competition organised by the Lahti City Theatre in 2004, this time for a work called “Petronella”. Jukka Linkola has also won international prizes. In 1994 he won first prize in the Concours International de Composition de la Ville du Havre with his work “Structures”, and in the same year he received the IAJE prize in Boston. The television opera “Angelika” premiered in 1992 received the first prize in the Paris Opera Screen Competition in 1993 and one year later also took the first prize in the Midem Awards in Cannes. “Pierrot” took second prize in the EBU international composition competition in 1981. Linkola was conductor at the Helsinki City Theatre 1975-1990. At the moment he is a freelance composer. He has conducted his own works with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera, the Göteborg Opera, the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and the Radio Orchestras of Ljubljana and Prague. He has also conducted many big bands, such as the UMO Jazz Orchestra, EBU Big Band, Danish Radio Big Band and Bohuslän Big Band and has been involved with the Helsinki Festival, Jyväskylä Arts Festival and Lieksa Brass Week. He can frequently be heard on the piano with his own ensemble, The Tentet. Music by Jukka Linkola has been recorded on the Finlandia (Warner Music), Alba Records, Syrene Music and other labels. (April 2004) Source: Finnish Music Information Centre