Kari Heinilä has been the new artistic director of the UMO Jazz Orchestra with Kirmo Lintinen since 2010.

Heinilä’s musical education started with piano lessons at Rauma Music Institute. He moved to study flute at Pori Music Institute and at the age of 12 started to play saxophone. Between 1984 and 1988 he studied at the Department of Jazz Music at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

Heinilä has taken private composing lessons with Eero Hämeenniemi. He performs actively as a saxophonist and flutist in Finland and other countries. Between 1987 and 1993 he worked as a musician in UMO, and today he acts as the orchestra’s visiting conductor. Heinilä was chosen as the artist of the year at the Pori Jazz Festival in 1995 and was awarded the prestigious Georgie Award by the Finnish Jazz Federation in 2001. In 2004 he set up Albero, a chamber music orchestra that combines contemporary music with improvisation. Kari Heinilä has composed music for jazz orchestras, big bands, solo instruments, and a variety of chamber ensembles. Seppo Kantonen premiered “Leitourgia”, Heinilä’s composition for a piano and chamber orchestra in 2007.

Grants and awards

State grant for artists:
July 2006–June 2007  —  2-year grant.
2003–2005  —  3-year grant.
1999  —  12-month grant.
1997  —  6-month grant.
1989  —  6-month grant.

State’s project grant for individuals:
1996  — Heinilä/Lintinen/Pyysalo/Saari: 20 000 Finnish marks.
1991  — 8000 Finnish marks.

Finnish Cultural Foundation’s grants:
2002   — 8000 euros.
1996   — 25 000 Finnish marks.
1994  — Heinilä/Perko: 25 000 Finnish marks.

Awards and stipends:
2009  — Finnish Cultural Foundation’s 3-year grant.
2001  — Finnish Jazz Federation’s Georgie Award.
1995  — Pori Jazz artist of the year: 30 000 Finnish marks.
1992  — Bat-Finland  stipend for composing: 10 000 Finnish marks.

Recordings

Espoo Big Band:
Grand Mystery
Yesterday’s Games
Moonlight Caravan/Finnish Characters
UMO Jazz Orchestra:
Selected Standards
Plays The Music of Muhal Richard Abrams
Dalens Ande
Green & Yellow
Umo Jazz Orchestra
One More Time Suite
Jatkumo
Jarmo Savolainen:
Blue Dreams
True Image
Another Story
SoloDuoTrio
Edward Vesala:
Lumi
Markku Johansson:
M.J. & Friends
Pekka Luukka:
Splash Of Colors
Jukka Linkola:
The Tentet
Eija Ahvo & Susanna Haavisto:
Silta
XL:
Xlent
Samuli Mikkonen:
S.M. & 7 Henkeä
Karikko:
Karikko
Ahava:
Ahava
Nyt Ensemble:
Nature Poems
Andre Sumelius Lift:
Kaira
Kari Heinilä:
Tribus
Antiqua
Lill’ Lisa
Mosaique
Teddy Rok Seven
Universal Four
Mikko Hassinen
Damodara 3
Husband:
Homo Sapiens
Karikko:
Oceanophonic
Von Hertzen Brothers:
Approach
Johanna Kurkela:
Marmoritaivas
Kerkko Koskinen & UMO Jazz Orchestra:
Agatha