BIOGRAPHY

In short...

I am a musician from Finland: singer, pianist, composer, lyric writer, arranger, producer. I have also worked as journalist, mainly in radio and TV stations.

I was born on July 8th 1968, in Helsinki, Finland. I lived my childhood and went to elementary schools in Vantaa, but then to concentrate more on musical education I studied in the music orientated Sibelius-lukio (upper high school) in Helsinki. At first I studied music in the Music school of Vantaa, later, besides Sibelius-lukio, also in Sibelius Academy as pedagogic student and in Oulunkylä Pop/Jazz school.

After high school I have studied mainly languages and above all, LIFE!

ALBUMS

2023 Comandante Che Kaivanto, Prontosaurus
2021 Petrópolis, Prontosaurus
2018 Aires de Finlandia vol. 2: Stadi ja Bonis, Prontosaurus
2017 Aires de Finlandia vol. 2 (Spanish version), Prontosaurus
2014 Siltapyrotekniikan alkeet, Prontosaurus
2010 Aires de Finlandia (Spanish version), Prontosaurus
2009 Asiallisia lauluja 1994-2009, Prontosaurus
2007 Aires de Finlandia vol. 1: Kaukaisin Euroopan maa, Prontosaurus
1992 kaivanto n,love, Fazer Finnlevy

Singles, compilations and full list of recorded works by other artists in discography

MUSIC FOR THEATRE

2018 Koskenlaskijan morsian, music for silent film, Festival de Cine y Música, San Isidro, Argentina
2014 Suhteellisesti ottaen, Elannon näyttämö, Helsinki, säveltäjä
2011 Suomen hevonen, Pankkiteatteri, Helsinki, composer
2007 Miau! Kissaooppera Kattilassa, Cont'akti-teatteri, Pori, composer
2005 Leyla & Daniel, Lahti City Theatre, composer
1998 Pinokkio, Poleenin teatteri, Pieksämäki, composer and the role of Cat
1993 Ennen kuolemaa, Sumute workshop performances in 4 cities, composer & conductor
1987 Kadonneet lapset, Kellariteatteri, Helsinki, arranger & pianist
1987 Midsummer Nights Dream, Kellariteatteri, Helsinki, arranger & pianist
1986 Mörkö se lähti laivaan, Helsinki Festival for Children & TV1, arranger & pianist

FESTIVALS & COMPETITIONS

2010 Eurovision Song Contest Finnish selection, YLE TV2, Tampere
8th place for Il mondo è quì, performed by Pentti Hietanen, music Lasse Heikkilä, Italian lyrics Petri Kaivanto - Stefano De Sando

2006 Eurovision Song Contest Finnish selection, YLE TV2, Turku
2nd place for Eternamente Maria, performed by Tomi Metsäketo, music Kisu Jernström, Italian lyrics Petri Kaivanto, Finnish lyrics Arto Tamminen

2004 Golden Stag festival (Cerbul de Aur), Braşov, Romania
Finnish representative in duet with with Milana

2004 Silver Moon - music theatre competition, Lahti City Theatre
award together with librettist Pasi Toivanen for the proposal Layla & Daniel

2002 Silver Moon - music theatre competition, Lahti City Theatre
award together with librettist Pasi Toivanen for the proposal Spiritus Fortis

1996 Reginetta della canzone, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
jury member

1996 Makfest, Stip, FYROM
Finnish entry Sillat liekeissä, performed by Kaisu Kärki (Timonen), songwriter & background vocalist

1990 Finnish championship of mocking songs, Valkeakoski, Workers' Music Festival & TV1
Finnish Championship, Maan matonen (Markku Anttila - Jorma Toiviainen), performer

1989 Tapsan Tahdit competition, Nokia
artist, finalist

1988 Tapsan Tahdit competition, Nokia
artist, honorary prize for compositions

Kaivanto & Milana in Golden Stag 2004, Romania

Tapsan tahdit 1989, Nokia

TV

2016 Peter von Bagh, YLE Drama, interviewer/producent 2008-2015
2016 Elämysten takana - Taidekeskus Salmela, MTV3, producer-journalist
2015 Elämysten matkassa - Taidekeskus Salmela, MTV3, producer-journalist
1997 Matkalla maailmalla & Matkalaukku - travel programs, PTV & Nelonen, collaborating journalist-presenter
1993-95 Ei itketä lauantaina - live music show, MTV3, host presenter
1993 N.Y.T. Nuorten uutiset - news for the youth, TV1, music journalist
1991-92 Levyraati - music show, MTV, regular panel member

RADIO

2003-2007 Ylen aikainen/YLE Radio Suomi, speaker-reporter
1999-2002 YLE Radio Aino, bi-weekly columnist Papa Razzia
1989-1991 Radio Energy, local night radio in Tampere, chief of programming

Also free lance collaborations for other broadcasters.

PUBLICATIONS

2016 El tango finlandés: desarrollo y vinculaciones con el tango rioplatense  conference presentation with Alejandro Polemann in the I Congreso Internacional de Música Popular (Universidad Nacional de La Plata, october 2016)
2012 Ikivihreät italialaisiskelmät suomalaistähtien esittäminä, Valitut Palat (Reader's Digest)
2007 Suomen euroviisut kautta aikojen, F-Publishing

Articles for various Finnish newspapers and magazines

2006-2015 Editor in chief of Finnish Popular Music Museum pomus.net
1996-2009 Webmaster of Association of Composers and Lyricwriters ELVIS

OTHER

2017 Municipal elections, candidate for Perussuomalaiset (The Finns party)
2015 Finnish Parliamentary elections, candidate for Itsenäisyyspuolue (Independence Party)
2011 Finnish Parliamentary elections, candidate for Muutos 2011 (Change 2011)
1999 Finnish Parliamentary elections, candidate for Nuorsuomalaiset (Young Finns)
1997-2005 Helsinki district court, lay member
1997-99 Finnish Composers Copyright Society TEOSTO, member of sharing rules committee
1996 European Parliament and Helsinki City Council elections, candidate for Nuorsuomalaiset (Young Finns)