Janne Malinen

Guitarist Janne Malinen started to play guitar at the age of 12. In his own words, he was inspired by heavy rock and started to grow his hair and exercise the ‘One-finger – technique’. Soon he began classical guitar studies (1987) in the music institute of Savonlinna under the guidance of teacher Pentti Malinen. Janne Malinen’s professional studies ended in 2001 when Malinen graduated from the Masters Degree Program at the Sibelius-Academy with excellent grades with Jukka Savijoki as his teacher, and the Postgraduate Performance Diploma from London Royal Academy of Music with Michael Lewin, Timothy Walker and John Mills as  teachers.

Malinens career started in 1992 when he was the youngest awarded participant in the K.V. Leino- competition in Jyväskylä. Ever since, Malinen has performed at several guitar festivals and musical events in his homeland and abroad (England, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Estonia and USA). In addition to solo-concerts his interest in chamber music has lead him to work with many fine artists, including META4-, KAMUS- and Savonlinna string quartets, cellist Christoph Richter and tenor Robin Tritschler.

Janne Malinen works also as a Professor at the Sibelius – Academy and has published a wide website concerning the technique of classical guitar playing. His debut CD “Fragilia” (Pilfink Records, 2006), that contains only contemporary works, has been praised in the music press and has been described as a bull’s eye that should be found from every guitar enthusiasts’ bookshelf. His second CD” The Renaissance Album” (Pilfink Records 2009), together with the Irish tenor Robin Tritschler was published in Feb. 2009. Highly acclaimed Fanfare Magazine (USA) wrote: "Indeed, what we get on this new release is guitar only, but one that is played with style and pizzazz. (...) These guys may be relatively new on the scene, but their music-making is superb, and this album can be enthusiastically recommended. (Fanfare Magazine, Steven E. Ritter).