Iiro Rantala
Iiro Rantala (born 1970) is a Finnish jazz pianist. He studied piano in the jazz department of Sibelius Academy and classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music. He is one of the best known Finnish jazz pianists, both in Finland and abroad.
Iiro Rantala
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- Name
- Iiro Rantala
- Birth Name
- Iiro Emil Rantala
- Birthplace
- Helsinki, Finland
- Occupation
- Musician
- Full name
- Iiro Emil Rantala.
- Born
- 1970. · Helsinki.
- Nationality
- Finland.
- Fields
- jazz and crossover jazz.
- Education
- Manhattan School of Music.
- Honours
- Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland and Jussi Award for Best Original Score.
- Languages
- Finnish and English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Iiro Rantala (born 1970) is a Finnish jazz pianist. He studied piano in the jazz department of Sibelius Academy and classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music. He is one of the best known Finnish jazz pianists, both in Finland and abroad.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
gnd · 1253520437 · museum · 0a59b069-2fc8-452c-9876-998a941c198c · wikidata · Q1658005 · wikipedia · Iiro Rantala
In this article
Biography
Biography
Rantala is a pianist and composer with Trio Töykeät, a Finnish jazz trio. In addition to jazz, he has composed some classical pieces, most notably the Concerto for Piano and Concerto in G♯ΔA♭. In 2008, he released the album Elmo with his new formation, the Iiro Rantala New Trio. The members of the trio are Rantala (piano), Marzi Nyman (guitar) and Felix Zenger (beatbox). In 2017, Rantala was nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize.
Iiro Rantala studied at Manhattan School of Music. The recorded working language is Finnish and English. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are jazz and crossover jazz. Employment is recorded with Manhattan School of Music. Distinctions recorded are Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland and Jussi Award for Best Original Score.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Iiro Rantala • Landscape — Yes • Birth Name — Iiro Emil Rantala • Birthplace — Helsinki, Finland • Genre — Jazz, classical • Occupation — Musician • Instrument — Piano • Label — ACT • Associated Acts — Trio Töykeät, Tango Kings • Illustration — Iiro Rantala and Asja Valcic
Trio Töykeät
Trio Töykeät
• Päivää (Sonet, 1990) • International version: G'day (Emarcy, 1993) • Jazzlantis (Emarcy, 1995) • Sisu (PolyGram Emarcy, 1998) • Kudos (Universal Music Group, 2000) • High Standards (EMI Blue Note, 2003) • Wake (EMI Blue Note, 2005) • One Night in Tampere (EMI Blue Note, 2007)
Big Bad Family
Big Bad Family
• Big Bad Family (Kompass, 1988) • Big Bad Family (re-release) (Final Mix Records, 1996)
Tango Kings
Tango Kings
• Tango Kings (Big World, 1995)
Sinfonia Lahti, Trio Töykeät, Jaakko ja Pekka Kuusisto
Sinfonia Lahti, Trio Töykeät, Jaakko ja Pekka Kuusisto
• Music! (BIS Records, 2002)
SaloRantala Soi
SaloRantala Soi
• SaloRantala Soi! (Johanna Kustannus, 2003) • Talvijalka (Sateen ääni, 2009)
Rantala & Tapiola Sinfonietta
Rantala & Tapiola Sinfonietta
• Concerto for Piano and Concerto in G♯ΔA♭ (Ondine, 2006)
Iiro Rantala New Trio
Iiro Rantala New Trio
• Elmo (Rockadillo Records, 2008)
Pekka Kuusisto & Iiro Rantala
Pekka Kuusisto & Iiro Rantala
• Subterráneo, (Liverace, 2009)
Iiro Rantala solo piano
Iiro Rantala solo piano
• Lost Heroes, (ACT, 2011) • My History of Jazz, (ACT, 2012)
Iiro Rantala String Trio
Iiro Rantala String Trio
• Anyone with a Heart, (ACT, 2014)
Iiro Rantala
Iiro Rantala
• My Working Class Hero, (ACT, 2015) • How Long Is Now?, (ACT, 2016) • Good Stuff, (ACT, 2017) • My Finnish Calendar, (ACT, 2019) • Potsdam, (ACT, 2022) (live)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Iiro Rantala was recorded at birth as Iiro Emil Rantala. His recorded languages were Finnish and English. He married Lotta Kuusisto.
Identity
Identity
Iiro Rantala is recorded as having received Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland and Jussi Award for Best Original Score.
Recognition and collections
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Iiro Rantala received Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland and Jussi Award for Best Original Score.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1658005: Iiro Rantala
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Iiro Rantala”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Institutional database
- MusicBrainz artist record for Iiro Rantala
Scholarly · MetaBrainz Foundation
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 1253520437, Pannonica (Zusammenstellung, Iiro Rantala).
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Literature
Literature
Literature
Rantala, Iiro, Oxford Music Online, 2003
Scholarly footprint
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Chartquellen: FI CH
- 2.Thomas Haak. Back to the Roots. NDR (Jazzalbum der Woche). 2024-06-14.
- 3.Theaterhaus Festival 2011
- 4.Jazz und Humor, Spiegel online vom 13. Oktober 2012, abgerufen am 17. Oktober 2012.
- 5.Iiro Rantala Playing Gershwin Besprechung (Jazz thing)
- 6.Jazzforum Bayreuth - Iiro Rantala / HEL Trio Website des Jazzforrum Bayreuth. Abgerufen am 11. November 2023.
- 7.Josef Engels. Tough Stuff Iiro Rantala, HEL Trio. Rondo. 2024-06-08.
- 8.Rantala, Iiro.
- 9.Christiane Peitz. Kinderoper "Die Zaubermelodika": In die Sauna mit Sarastro. 2021-10-27.
- 10.Iiro Rantala / Kaisa Mäensivu / Morten Lund: Trinity, ACT/edel, jazzthing.de vom 3. November 2025, abgerufen am 4. November 2025
- 11.Auszeichnungen für Musikverkäufe: DE
- 12.Ralf Dombrowski vs. Wolf Kampmann. Iiro Rantala: Potsdam (ACT). Jazz thing 143.
- 13.Rolf Thomas/Wolf Kampmann. Iiro Rantala: Veneziana (ACT). Jazz thing. 2023-08-21.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
MusicBrainz artist record for Iiro RantalaMetaBrainz Foundation
Institutional witnessauthority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 1253520437, Pannonica (Zusammenstellung, Iiro Rantala).Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q1658005: Iiro RantalaWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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