Timo-Veikko Valve, affectionately known by audiences far and wide as “Tipi”, grew up in Finland, surrounded by a family who are “musically orientated normal people”. Music lessons were a natural part of his upbringing, and at six years old, Tipi was encouraged to pick up the cello after a teacher at the local music school declared with considerable conviction that “he looks just like a cellist!”. To this day, Tipi remains somewhat puzzled about what that statement actually meant. Whatever the subtext, the teacher seems to have been correct.
Valve was appointed Principal Cello of the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 2006, and his leadership soon became an integral part of the ACO. Recognised for his natural, creative, and generous musicianship, Tipi seeks to define the modern-day musician. Prior to his Australian adventure, Tipi studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki before continuing to the Edsberg Music Institute in Stockholm.
Tipi effortlessly transitions between modern and period instruments and describes the cello as a flexible and adaptive partner, both in its role in an ensemble and as a soloist, across all forms of music. He reflects this versatility and enjoys a diverse career as a musician, curator and director, directing from the cello as he plays and appearing as a soloist with many of the major orchestras across his two home countries, Finland, and Australia. Tipi is also a sought-after collaborator and frequently appears as a chamber musician. His active commitment to the music of our times through curating and commissioning has seen him delivering world-premiere performances of multiple concertos and other significant works written especially for him.
Currently, Tipi plays on a Brothers Amati cello from 1616, kindly on loan from the ACO Instrument Fund.
BEETHOVEN Cello Sonatas on ABC Classic
“From the slow broad opening of the first sonata – like an athlete flexing his muscles – Valve showed why he is so popular as both the ACO’s Principal Cello and as a recitalist. And as the sparkling runs of the piano kicked in it was obvious that Go was the perfect partner for these taxing works”
– Limelight review of Timo-Veikko Valve and Aura Go performing the complete Beethoven Cello Sonatas at the Sydney Opera House in March 2022
“His technical command of the instrument allowed a wider range of dynamics, enabling him to unlock more imaginative possibilities from the notes on the page...his awareness of sonority within the ambient space allowing vividly shaped phrases to hang in the air...This was deeply expressive playing”
“Hänhän näyttää aivan sellistiltä”, lausui Länsi-Helsingin musiikkiopiston opettaja tavatessaan kuusivuotiaan Timo-Veikko Valveen ensimmäisen kerran. Eikä ollut väärässä. Valve ei tosin vieläkään ole täysin varma, mitä tämä lausahdus oikein tarkoitti. Musiikkiopistosta opintie kuitenkin jatkui Sibelius-Akatemiaan ja edelleen Tukholmaan, Edsbergin musiikki-instituuttiin.
Vuonna 2006 Valve kiinnitettiin Australian kamariorkesterin soolosellistiksi ja hänen tavastaan hoitaa tehtäväänsä ja johtaa on tullut olennainen osa tämän kansainvälisesti arvostetun orkesterin toimintatapaa. Valve tunnetaan luonnollisesta, luovasta ja laaja-alaisesta muusikkoudestaan, jonka kautta hän myös pyrkii määrittelemään modernin muusikon roolia.
Laajasti Tipinä tunnettu Timo-Veikko Valve, liikkuu vaivattomasti modernista instrumentista periodisoittimiin ja pitää selloa joustavana ja sopeutuvana työtoverina riippumatta siitä, onko sen paikka solistina vai osana yhtyettä. Tipi peilailee tätä monipuolisuutta myös omassa muusikkopersoonassaan, toimimalla vuoroin taiteellisena suunnittelijana, musiikin johtajana liidaamalla orkesteria sellosta käsin, tai orkesterisolistina molemmissa kotimaissaan. Hän on myös erittäin kysytty kamarimuusikko. Tipi Valve on tilannut ja kantaesittänyt lukuisia konserttoja ja muita hänelle kirjoitettuja teoksia.
Valve soittaa Amati sellolla vuodelta 1616.
Timo-Veikko Valve plays exclusively on
“His tone was so stunningly beautiful that a single note emitting from his instrument communicated more than others can express in a lifetime”
