Meet the artist: Accordionist Veli Kujala hopes that the joy of playing and making music could be preserved during studies
Accordionist Veli Kujala began his undergraduate studies at the Sibelius Academy in 1996 and completed his artistic doctoral degree in 2010. He has been a lecturer in accordion music at the Sibelius Academy since 2020.
How would you describe the working atmosphere at the Sibelius Academy, and what kind of environment is it from a teacher’s perspective?
The atmosphere here is relaxed, and everyone is free to do things in their own way. As a lecturer, I have a lot of influence over things. And it is truly enjoyable to work with the brilliant colleagues at Sibelius!
How would you describe yourself as a teacher?
My core idea is to bring out each student’s unique voice and help them perhaps discover during their studies what they truly want to do in the world of music. Of course, there are many fundamental things that everyone must know, but I try to encourage exploration and offer a wide range of repertoire so that students play a lot of pieces that might not necessarily be within their comfort zone. One should have a broad understanding of music, as I believe this is the only way to find their “own thing.” During their studies, students should also be able to preserve the joy of playing and making music – hopefully, that is reflected in my teaching.
Currently, the accordion class has 13 main students from Finland, Croatia, Switzerland, and Poland, in addition to a couple of exchange students. I strive to create as fruitful and encouraging an environment as possible and keep the doors open so we can also receive external influences and stay current while remaining grounded in history. I hope that we can be pioneers, for example, in terms of repertoire and also produce new innovations!
In general, the level of accordion classes around the world has risen. The Sibelius Academy class has long been one of the very best – we must work hard to stay there.
At the Sibelius Academy, the study of the accordion encompasses all kinds of music. Where does this originate from?
It is largely a reflection of my own artistic profile. I have played in operas, theatres, musicals, as a soloist with symphony orchestras, and collaborated with contemporary composers, dancers, poets, jazz musicians, pop musicians, folk musicians, and in the field of electronic music. It has been incredibly beneficial for me, especially from an employment perspective, to have connections in so many different musical genres.
Versatility has been present in my own work ever since I became seriously passionate about music. When I was 13, progressive rock first “clicked” with me, and around the same time, jazz did too. A year or two later, I began listening to composers like Stravinsky, Mahler, and Baroque music. My own artistic voice, especially as a composer, is therefore a kind of fusion.
What are the most important work skills for a professional accordionist right now?
One of the most important skills for all musicians is definitely the ability to network. A good collaborative mentality is essential, along with strong professional skills, quick adaptability, and the ability to jump into different environments with curiosity towards the new. We strongly encourage our students to play a lot of chamber music: through that, they meet others and make important contacts almost by accident.
Sometimes I challenge a student to prepare a certain piece of repertoire very quickly, as there might be performances that require jumping in without much practice time. I think this is something worth practising already during their studies.
What is the best part of your job right now?
The best part is the everyday work with the students. It is incredibly inspiring. I learn from them new ways to perceive and make music. I try to discuss different interpretation possibilities, and I am very satisfied if they have strong personal ideas. If they don’t, I try to give them several – perhaps even opposing – ideas through which they can eventually find their own perspective.
What has been the biggest change in the world of the accordion during your career?
The instrument in its current form is still relatively young, and many strong figures have influenced it. Right now, there is a generational shift happening almost everywhere at the same time, and as a result, the boundaries between certain schools of thought established by strong teachers are beginning to blur.
The repertoire has developed tremendously because serious contemporary music for the accordion really began to be composed only in the 1960s. Composers have learned to use the instrument in increasingly versatile ways, and today’s compositions are quite different from those written, for example, in the 1980s. New works are being composed all the time. I do fear that the best new compositions might remain hidden and that we will only play the old classics of contemporary music.
How did you end up travelling the world, and what have international networks brought you over the years?
My first international performances were at jazz festivals with our long-standing Gourmet ensemble, and soon after, I also performed as a soloist with various foreign orchestras and at chamber music festivals. In 2007, the ¼-tone accordion I developed brought me international recognition, especially in the professional accordionist community, and through that, I received one of my first invitations to hold a masterclass in Germany, which has since led to many others.
One of the most unusual contacts occurred a couple of years ago. I was called to perform in Brett Dean’s Hamlet production at the Metropolitan Opera in New York less than a month before the premiere. The material I had to play was as challenging as a complex accordion concert, and in addition, the accordionist had to act, change clothes, and play with the orchestra in the pit. Due to the tight schedule and the slow pace of American bureaucracy, I had to go straight to the general rehearsal.
How do you see the role of art in society today? How can art influence the world?
I believe the role of art is to stimulate thought, especially through its intrinsic value. The program notes or the title of a work can influence how it is perceived, but if a work is created by the composer as absolute music without any externally defined “program,” the notes or the music itself do not necessarily take a stance on anything. Art can be used as a tool for propaganda, it has wellbeing effects, and it can generate material wealth, but the most important thing is its intrinsic value. The value of art is the art itself, and this cannot be emphasised enough. The most important societal role of our art university is to keep the banner of art high and to strive to create metrics for its operations and funding that are primarily based on art itself.
I hope that the Sibelius Academy can continue to be permissive, pluralistic, outward-looking, influential, and widely visible in this city, in Finland, and across the world.