I am Iiro Ollila. A composer, a musician, an improviser.
As a composer I am versatile and multi-faceted, with a special expertise on stage music in its various forms. I am equally at home writing for different classical formats as well as various styles of rhythm music and improvisation. My signature compositional style can best be described as a unique form af art pop. My musical language is melodic and emotionally engaging, drawing inspiration and form also from classical and different forms of contemporary music. Curiosity and continuous learning are my driving forces as an artist.
I have been working as a freelance composer for 23 years. I have composed musicals, music for drama and dance productions, concert music, as well as music for circus performances, radio, television, and films. My stage music has been performed widely, on numerous Finnish stages (including The Grimm Book of Horrors, main programme at 2016 Theater Summer Tampere, Dance Theater Hurjaruuth´s Winter Circus BAU 2019, Winter Circus Vauhti [Speed] 2020, Winter Circus Ilo [Joy] 2022, The Brothers Karamazov at The Finnish National Theatre 2018, radioplay Taidenäyttely radiossa, Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE 2016.)
As a musician, I am a multi-instrumentalist. My main instruments include various guitars; in addition, I sing and rap and play the flute, keyboards, Irish whistles, hurdy-gurdy, live electronics. Working with computers and electronics music is natural and familiar to me.
I have been working as a musician at the improvisational theater Stella Polaris since 1998 and I am one of the founding members of Näyttämö 3T. I served as the artistic director of the mixed choir Koiton laulu from 2000 to 2006, and as the initiator and artistic director of the Finnish Improvisation Choir (Suomen Improvisaatiokuoro) from 2010 to 2014.
I have been awarded the one-year artist grant from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) in 2010, 2015, 2018, and 2023, as well as a six-month working grant from the Kordelin Foundation in 2013.
Education:
Master of Theater Arts (Theatre Academy Helsinki, Music Theatre Program 2000)
Classical Guitar Teacher (Helsinki Conservatory 1998)
Orthopedic Osteopath (Orthopedic Osteopathy Training Center 2015)