Joonas Kokkonen

Background

Joonas Kokkonen was born on the 13th of November, 1921 in Iisalmi, Finland. Son of Heikki and Maria Kohkonc.

Education

He studied musicology at the University of Helsinki (1940-41, 1945-49), and graduated from the J.Sibelius Academy in piano, Helsinki (1950).

Career

In 1947-50 Kokkonen worked as a music critic. In 1950-63, he taught composition at the J.Sibelius Academy (a professor since 1959), among his students were A. Sallinen, E. Salmenhaara, P. Heinonen, P. Nordgren.

Achievements

• Following an early period of neoclassicism, Kokkonen turned to 12-tone technique and on via his third symphony (1967) to free tonality.
  
  Kokkonen is best known for the opera The Last Temptations (Viimeiset kiusaukset, 1975). This main work by Kokkonen has won itself a place among one of the most succesful Finnish operas.
  
  

Works

More photos

• music

  • String Quartets 1, 2 & 3 / Piano Quintet 1994
  • Piano Works 2007
  • Joonas Kokkonen METAMORPHOSIS for 12 Strings & Harpsichord 1970

• opera

  • Last Temptations - Opera in Two Acts 1975

• symphony

  • The Four Symphonies Requiem 1998
  • Symphony 4 / Symphonic Sketches / Cello Concerto 1994
  • Inauguratio/ Symphony No.2 / Interludes / Erekhtheion - Joonas Kokkonen 1991
  • Symphony 1 / Music for String Orchestra 1994
  • ...durch einen Spiegel.../ Wind quintet/ Sinfonia da camera/ Il Paesag - Joonas Kokkonen 2007
  • Requiem 2006

Membership

In addition to his activities as a composer, Kokkonen made a significant and powerful impact on Finnish cultural life, heading organizations such as Society of Finnish Composers, the Board of the Concert Centre, and others. He was Chairman of the Society of Finnish Composers (1965-71), the Union of Finnish Symphony Orchestras (1965-74), Finnish Composers’ Copyright Office Teosto (1968-88).

• Society of Finnish Composers , Finland

  1965 - 1971

• Union of Finnish Symphony Orchestras , Finland

  1965 - 1974

• Finnish Composers’ Copyright Office Teosto , Finland

  1968 - 1988

Connections

Married Maija Heljo (divorced). Married Anita Mannelin, August 1980. Children: Jarmo, Leena, Iikka, Merja-Riitta, Arja-Maija.

Father:

Heikki Kohkonc

Mother:

Maria Kohkonc

Spouse:

Maija Heljo

Spouse:

Anita Mannelin

child:

Jarmo Kokkonen

child:

Merja-Riitta Kokkonen

child:

Leena Kokkonen

child:

Arja-Maija Kokkonen

child:

Iikka Kokkonen