Kimmo Leppälä Suomeksi - In Finnish Born 1963 Clarinettist, composer Kimmo Leppälä is a founder member of the Uusinta Chamber Ensemble. He studied the clarinet and composing at the Sibelius Academy and in Budapest, with Reino Simola and Kálman Berkes (clarinet) and Erkki Jokinen and Vladimir Agopov (composing). Since 1989 Leppälä has worked as the principal clarinettist at the City Orchestra of Lohja. He has also performed in many theatre orchestras as well as in Avanti! throughout the 1980's. Leppälä is a versatile musician: besides being a contemporary music specialist, he plays jazz and is a member of various pops orchestras. As a composer Leppälä is an heir to the second Viennese school, "creating new, continuing the tradition". His music has been performed by a.o. City Orchestras of Lohja and Kotka, Avanti!, The Finnish Saxophone Quartet and Uusinta. In 1985 Leppälä won an honorary mention for his Hirtengedichte for solo clarinet in "Premio Valentino Bucchi" composition competition in Italy. Works published by Uusinta Oboe Quartet I (1987) Oboe, bass clarinet, violin, viola Contact: Kimmo Leppälä