Kari Kriikku

Awards His recordings of the concertos of Carl Maria von Weber was voted "best ever" recording by Classic CD and BBC Music Magazine.

In 2006, his recording of Magnus Lindberg's Clarinet Concerto (2002) won both BBC Music Magazine's Award and the Classic FM Gramophone Award.

He was the 2009 winner of the Nordic Council Music Prize: the prize committee wrote, "Kari Kriikku is an extraordinary virtuoso on his instrument, the clarinet. His performance is characterised by flexibility and a positive musician's joy – he is a musician in the best sense of the word."

Discography

Title Released Featuring Label Crusell: Complete Clarinet Quartets 1989 Avanti! Quartet Ondine The Virtuoso Clarinet 1989 Avanti! Chamber Orchestra Finlandia Alexander von Zemlinsky: Clarinet Trio, Op. 3 / Max Bruch: Eight Pieces, Op. 83 1991 Matti Hirvikangas (viola), Martti Rousi (cello), Arto Satukangas (piano) Ondine Claude Debussy: Rhapsody For Clarinet And Orchestra / Jukka Tiensuu: Puro / Jouni Kaipainen: Carpe Diem! 1991 Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, Jukka-Pekka Saraste Ondine Magnus Lindberg: ...De Tartuffe / Je Crois / Linea D'Ombra / Ritratto / Zona 1992 Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor), Anssi Karttunen (cello), Avanti! Chamber Orchestra Finlandia Carl Maria von Weber: Clarinet Quintet; Grand Duo Concertante / Felix Mendelssohn: Concert Pieces 1 & 2 for Clarinet, Basset-horn and Piano 1994 New Helsinki Quartet, Osmo Linkola (basset-horn), Arto Satukangas (piano) Ondine Klarinetti! 1994 Osmo Linkola, Anna-Maija Korismaa, Kullervo Kojo, Suomalainen klarinettiyhtye Suomen Kuvalehti Classica From Scandinavia: Lindberg, Sørensen, Saariaho, Tiensuu 1996 Arditti String Quartet, Jukka Tiensuu Auvidis, Montaigne Carl Maria von Weber: Clariner Concertos 1 & 2 / Concertino / Clarinet Quintet 1997 Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo Ondine Avanti! 1997 Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, John Storgårds Ilmailulaitos Crusell: Clarinet Concertos 2000 Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo Ondine Kimmo Hakola: Clarinet Quintet / Loco / Capriole 2002 Avanti! Quartet, Anssi Karttunen (cello) Ondine A Century of Finnish Chamber Music: Live from the Kuhmo Festival 2002 Various artists Ondine W.A. Mozart / Johann Molter: Clarinet Concertos 2005 Tapiola Sinfonietta, John Storgårds Ondine Kimmo Hakola: Clarinet Concerto / Verdoyances crépscules / Diamond Street 2005 Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo Ondine Magnus Lindberg: Clarinet Concerto // Gran Duo // Chorale 2005 Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo Ondine A Due 2007 Anssi Karttunen (cello) Ondine Jukka Tiensuu: Nemo · Puro · Spiriti 2008 Mikko Luoma (accordion), Avanti!, Susanna Mälkki (conductor) Alba Bizarre Bazaar 2009 Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jan Söderblom Ondine Jukka Tiensuu - Vie / Missa for Clarinet and Orchestra / False Memories I-III 2010 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds Ondine Uljas Pulkkis: Tales of Joy, Passion and Love 2011 Gabriel Suovanen, Hannu Lintu, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra Ondine Saariaho - D'om Le Vrai Sens for clarinet and orchestra / Laterna Magica / Leino Songs 2011 Anu Komsi, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo Ondine Magnus Lindberg: Chamber Works 2012 Anssi Karttunen (cello), Magnus Lindberg (piano) Ondine Brahms-Glanert: Four Serious Songs / Brahms-Berio: Clarinet Sonata No. 1 / Glanert: Weites Land 2017 Michael Nagy (baritone), Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Olari Elts (conductor) Ondine