Petri Kumela, one of Finland’s most versatile and sought-after classical guitarists, is equally at home with period instruments as in working with contemporary composers, microtonal music or cooperating with artists from other art forms. He is also one of the Finnish guitarists best known on the international scene, with a reputation for originality and versatility, whether he is giving a recital in Calcutta or a school concert in Japan, or motorising guitars in Mexico.

Winner of the first prize in the international Scandinavian Guitar Festival and Stafford Classical Guitar Recital competitions, Petri Kumela has appeared outside Finland in many European countries, South America, the United States, Russia, Japan, India and Bhutan.

An artist with a special commitment to contemporary music, Petri Kumela has premiered ten guitar concertos and numerous solo and chamber works both in Finland and abroad by f.ex. Kalevi Aho, Antti Auvinen, Olli Kortekangas, Minna Leinonen, Joachim F.W. Schneider, José María Sánchez-Verdú, Poul Ruders, Riikka Talvitie, Lotta Wennäkoski and Pehr Henrik Nordgren.

Kumela was the artistic director for the chamber music series of the Nordic Music Days 2013 and the festival Sound of Sipoo started under his direction in Sipoo in 2017. He is also the co-curator for the State Prize for Music winning concert series Hietsu is Happening! and Classical Hietsu.  Petri Kumela teaches guitar at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and he is the guitar sound director of the Avanti! chamber orchestra.

Website of Petri Kumela >