Ollipekka Kalervo Määttä is one of the most prominent Finnish classical guitarists of the 21st century. As a prize-winner of multiple international guitar competitions, his concerts, radio and television engagements have taken him to perform widely all across Europe. His repertoire ranges from Renaissance to Contemporary music: one of his latest projects include an invitation to premiere works of young, talented composers with the “Robert-Schumann-Philharmonic” Orchestra of Chemnitz, Germany.
Born in 1990, in Kuusamo, Finland, Ollipekka’s early life was full of music. Inspired by his older sisters, Ollipekka learned to play piano at the tender age of three. At the age of 10, Ollipekka was accepted into the Kuusamo Music Institute, where he began his classical guitar studies. Finishing his elementary classical guitar and music studies with excellent grades in 2009, he then continued on to professional classical guitar studies under professor Timo Korhonen in the Arts Academy of Turku, Finland. Very early in his studies, Ollipekka was chosen as the “Young Artist of the Year 2011”, where he was given the opportunity to perform as a soloist of the “Turku Philharmonic Orchestra”. In 2011 he was also granted a scholarship to study abroad, so he moved permanently to Weimar, Germany to study under the tutelage of the world-renowned Prof. Ricardo Gallén in the “Franz Liszt” University of Music.
During his classical guitar studies in the “Franz Liszt” University of Music, Ollipekka also studied flamenco and world-music with some of the most internationally acclaimed guitarists today (Javier Conde & Prof. Thomas Fellow). He also studied choral and orchestral conducting under Prof. Kerstin Lachmann and frequently participated in the masterclasses held by Thomas Müller-Pering, Carlo Marchione, Margarita Escarpa, Hubert Käppel and Judicaël Perroy. Whilst studying, as a recognition for his talents, Ollipekka was granted a scholarship by the “Finnish Cultural Foundation”. Having finished his Master’s degree in 2017 with excellent grades, he is currently studying his postgraduate performance degree, “Konzertexamen”, under Prof. Gallén. During his study years he has also won numerous awards in international guitar competitions, including 1st prize at the “South-West International” and 3rd place in “Ciudad D’Elx”.
Ollipekka is also considered an inspiring teacher, teaching both in music schools andgiving masterclasses to professional students internationally. Many of these pupils have goneon to win awards and prizes in guitar competitions. In 2019 he was offered a permanentteaching position in “Städtische Musikschule Chemnitz” and was also appointed as a lecturer for classical guitar studies and chamber music in the “Franz Liszt” University of Music. In 2021 he was also appointed as the Head of the Guitar and plucked instrument Department of the “Städtische Musikschule Chemnitz”.
Ollipekka plays a 2014 cedar double top guitar made by German luthier Michel Brück, sponsored by the “Finnish Cultural Foundation”.
