In the early 1980s, I was invited to Tampere, Finland, to take part in a ‘Young Soloists’ Concert’. (Yes, I was once a ‘young soloist’ – long ago...) I was to play Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, and the other two soloists were a Finnish violinist (whom I knew), and a 16-year-old pianist called Olli Mustonen, about whom I’d already heard great things. As I rehearsed the Tchaikovsky, I was very conscious of a pair of piercing brown eyes fixed upon me; I presumed that the owner must be this young pianist about whom people were talking. Bored and lonely in the dark evenings, with hours free, I asked my violinist friend whether it might be possible perhaps to meet up with this Olli Mustonen. ‘Ah no,’ said the violinist, waving his hand dismissively. ‘He’s practising all the time.’ Later, it transpired that Olli, knowing that the violinist knew me, had asked whether it might be possible to meet me. ‘Ah no,’ said the violinist, waving his hand dismissively. ‘He’s practising all the time’. 

Despite the violinist’s noble efforts, however, Olli and I did meet, after the concert - at which he played Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, brilliantly. (Apparently Lenin and Stalin also met in Tampere – hmmm.) I was immediately struck by the extraordinary intensity and intelligence of this young boy – as well as by his perfect command of English. Before long, despite the age difference, we struck up a friendship that has lasted to this day. Among many other points of contact, we share a rather similar sense of humour, spending much of our time together imitating mutual acquaintances; and at one time we would spend countless hours discussing the finer points of Olli’s favourite film (to which I introduced him) This Is Spinal Tap. 

I always hesitate to use the word ‘genius’, because it is so easy to devalue the word; but I do think that if there is such a thing, Olli has a touch of it. He sees the world through genuinely different eyes. Everything he says, whether it be about music, or African politics, or environmental issues (all matters very close to his heart), bears the stamp of a unique approach, one informed by a shining intellect. His playing can be so startlingly original that it offends those used to a ‘normal’ approach; but the more one knows Olli and his music-making, the more convinced one is by his ideas, even if they would never have occurred to oneself. Every note he plays or conducts comes from deep within him, from a genuine, deeply-felt conviction. He has always seen music through the eyes of a composer – perhaps not surprising, since he has been composing ever since he started to play. His own music, always life-enhancing, is also deeply expressive of his inner life; it is strongly rooted both in the music of the past that he loves, and in the folk music and the powerful natural beauty of his native Finland. As both composer and performer, he has a unique voice – quite rare these days.

And now he’s 50! Unbelievable. Just to finish with my favourite story about him – even though it dates from long before we met: as a little boy, Olli heard music all the time, because his father was a keen amateur violinist, his sister Elina a budding (and now successful) harpsichordist. But little Olli was sad, because, looking at the sheet music from which they were playing, he thought to himself: ‘I’ll never be able to understand all those black dots.’ One day, however,  looking at his father’s violin music, he suddenly discovered, not only that he could read the music, but could also relate it to the sound that was produced; it was his eureka moment. That evening the five-year-old Olli, who had never had a piano lesson in his life, sat at the piano and played through all Bach’s Little Preludes and Fugues. As a parent, I’d have found that positively alarming! But somehow it was a typically extraordinary start to an extraordinary life in music – one that I trust will continue for at least another 50 years.

Happy Birthday, Olli!

Steven Isserlis

Tributes

'My dear, dear Olli, you are one of the most bright, unique, phenomenal artists in musical world today. Your artistic individuality at the piano, in conducting and in your compositions are immediately recognizable, I just love you as an artistic personality, individual and as a great musician!'

Rodion Shchedrin

'It has come to my attention that you are turning 50 years old. I’m sure you have countless expressions of congratulation and adulation pouring in from those around the world who have been fortunate enough to have been graced by your presence during this past half century, and perhaps you are tired of being reminded that you are already entering your sixth decade of life, but please accept a few more words of appreciation from an old friend who is, gratefully, still in his forties.  

'It seems like just yesterday when our mutual friend Steven Isserlis first mentioned to me this "genius 21-year-old pianist" from Finland whom he had recently befriended. I was immediately stuck by a great curiosity (and a tinge of jealousy), since rarely had I heard Steven heap praise on ANYONE. Less than a year later, we finally met, and under great pressure for it to succeed, Steven, you and I sat down to play piano trios for the first time. I walked away from those first rehearsals feeling that my musical understanding had been both challenged and invigorated. I also learned to quote some lines from the movie Spinal Tap. Over the next several years, we shared countless laughs, a few musical quarrels, and of course many performances and recordings, and I will be forever grateful for these moments. Although its been some years since we have seen each other, and definitely TOO long since we have played together, your impact on the way I think about music is felt by me every day.  

'The honesty and wholeheartedness with which you approach everything you do continues to be an inspiration to me and to so many others, and I want to thank you for that.  

'Olli, congratulations on what has been quite a prolific first 50 years. You have conquered the musical world with your piano playing, your conducting, and your incredible compositions. And you surely must have earned the distinction of being the only person in history to have written not one but TWO nonets! I will look forward to witnessing many more decades of greatness from you, Olli,  and if I’m lucky, it won’t only be from afar. Happy birthday!'

Joshua Bell

'"Could you name one totally unique living pianist?" If asked this question I would unhesitatingly reply: "Olli Mustonen". It's not just that he has his own voice. Rather he has his own head, a different way of thinking, of sounding through the mind through to the music. 

I'm not sure one person can agree with everything Olli does - that's the price of avoiding mediocrity; but I can recall concerts of Bach, Beethoven and Shostakovich when for that moment the music seemed wet with ink as if freshly composed.' 

Stephen Hough

'Olli is a "one of a kind" musician and personality! Some of my most memorable musical moments are connected to him. Olli’s versatility is amazing - an astounding pianist, conductor and composer! I love his humility as a person his deep dedication to music. Happy birthday, dear Olli!'

Paavo Järvi

'One of rare concert experience: sitting on the edge of the chair and hoping that it would never end - this is how it's like listening to Olli Mustonen.'

Patricia Kopatchinskaja

'A few years ago, I heard a wonderful radio interview with Ilkka Hanski, a Finnish professor of evolutionary biology. His views on the decline in global biodiversity were not only alarming, but felt oddly familiar and compatible with the concerns occasionally raised about the rather standardised nature of what many of us have come to expect from a classical music performance. One of Mr Hanski's most memorable statements was about the responsibility of a forest: according to him, we Finns have largely castrated the microbiological mechanisms in our forests, and what most of us recognise to be a forest, will handle about as much of a forest's responsibilities towards biodiversity as a mere picture of a forest would. 

'I sometimes feel like this at concerts – it's as if I'm experiencing a very well organised image of a performance, but not the actual thing. All the notes are like trees at the mercy of modern forestry. They are healthy and planted at the same time, they stand straight and tall, and the ground between them carries no signs of the vegetation of earlier centuries. It can be very impressive and comforting to wander into, but it will probably not fulfill its microbiological responsibilities. 

'When one walks into a wild forest, if one is lucky to find any, one will encounter the most glorious parade of microbes. They become a part of our own biology, and provide assistance in our fight againts all sorts of ailments. When we are deprived of the necessary microbes, our immune system will lose its bearings and we begin to experience problems – low-level inflammations leading to asthma, allergies and so on. I think we are only beginning to understand how much our microbiological health affects our lives. 

'When I listen to, or play with Olli, I feel I get a strong dose of musical biodiversity. As when wandering in a wild forest, not everything will be as I expect it to be, the trees have formed their own families and some have fallen, and from the rotting treetrunks on the ground grow mushrooms, some of them delicious, some poisonous and just as important. The fox hides her young in the tree trunk while hunting birds, the birds hunt the insects, the insects annoy the elks and so on. Sometimes I'll accidentally sit in an ant hill and sometimes I get stung by bees. It is so much more than a pretty picture. The musical part of my organism is fed by the endless diversity of expressions, situations and motivations in Olli's musicmaking. 

'Happy Birthday to Olli, bringer of musical microbes.

'PS. Professor Ilkka Hanski sadly passed away last year, but he left us a treasure in the shape of a book called Messages from Islands. I recommend it to everyone.'

Pekka Kuusisto

'The friendship between Olli and myself started by playing sonatas for piano and violin. In the early 1980s we had some wildly ambitious recitals and participated together as a duo in a young artists' Biennale in Oslo. Some of my fondest musical memories are related to Olli, either by playing as a duo or making music as piano soloist/conductor. So wonderful is his musicianship, so intense his presence and so loyal his friendship, that I feel great pleasure in wishing him a very happy second 50, and beyond!'

Sakari Oramo

'I first heard Olli at Lockenhaus in about 1987. The crystalline brilliance that struck me like a bolt of thunder has continued to resonate through my years with the ACO. Olli was a soloist on my first European tour directing the ACO in the early 1990s, and since then he has been a regular guest with us. His immaculate and powerful compositions have become part of the ACO canon, too. 

'I'll never forget Olli's Mozart K413, F major Piano Concerto. His first entry concocted such ineffable joy that I laughed a laugh I didn't know I had. 

'A very happy birthday, Olli – and many thanks for so many wonderful times, on and off the platform.'

Richard Tognetti

'I've admired Olli Mustonen's musicianship and his outright, refreshingly honest and kind personality from afar since I was a teenager, seeing him in various TV broadcasts. I remember him saying in an interview: "If I had the choice between being happy and being a musician I would choose to be happy." That was a a sensation for me to hear! Life does matter, not just our accomplishments in music! Ideally of course both fit together, as they do in his life. How pleased was I then when he accepted to be Composer-in-Residence at my festival “Spannungen" in Heimbach and also to perform there. During the preparation and the course of the festival we became dear friends. I have rarely met a musician and composer so inspired and yet so kind, friendly, understanding, open. Happy Birthday to you, dear Olli, and happy journeys for the future, in life and in music!'

Lars Vogt