Eicca Toppinen
Encyclopedia
Eino Matti "Eicca" Toppinen is a Finnish
cellist
, songwriter, producer, arranger, and (as a hobby) drummer
. In 1993 he formed the quartet Apocalyptica
.
He attended the Sibelius Academy
in Helsinki
, where he met future Apocalyptica band members Paavo Lötjönen
, Antero Manninen, and Max Lilja
. After graduating, he played for several orchestras, including Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
and Avanti! chamber orchestra. He's also a founding member of the Sibelius Academy's Cellosextet. When attending Sibelius Academy, Eicca could not get an apartment or student support money because he lived too close to Helsinki
, where the Academy resides.
In 1993, when Toppinen was still studying in Sibelius Academy, the members of the young Vivo Christian Orchestra got to witness how their orchestra mates played three songs from the Metallica
album, Ride The Lightning
. According to Toppinen, he did not have notes for any other albums.
Two years later, Apocalyptica performed at Teatro Heavy Metal Club in Helsinki, on the same night with His Infernal Majesty, later to be known as HIM. A week later, Kari Hynninen of Zen Garden Records contacted Eicca to discuss a deal to make their very first record, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos
.
Toppinen married Kirsi Ylijoki
, a Finnish actress, in 1997. They live in an expansive rural area in Sipoo, Finland. They have 2 children: Eelis, born in 1999, and Ilmari, born in 2002.
After first writing songs for Apocalyptica, Toppinen also became involved in the writing of music for various other projects, such as the theatrical performance of Paper Rain and the Finnish Film Milja.
In 2007, Toppinen composed the soundtrack for the Finnish movie Musta Jää (Black Ice). He has since been nominated and, on February 3, 2008, won a Jussi Award for writing the score. He also wrote the movie's main theme, sung by Hanna Pakarinen
.
In December, 2007, Toppinen was invited to the Finnish Independence Day Presidential Reception in Helsinki. He attended with his wife, Kirsi, and was prominently featured in several news articles and interviews. Unfortunately, he had to miss Apocalyptica's sold-out show in Strasbourg, France, the first time he had ever missed a performance by his band in 14 years.
Toppinen says his biggest achievement is Apocalyptica
.
Lupot (1787)
Postiglione (1857)
Bow
Guillaume
A. Vigneron
Strings
Tomastik Infeld Spirocore
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
cellist
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, songwriter, producer, arranger, and (as a hobby) drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. In 1993 he formed the quartet Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
.
Biography
Toppinen grew up in Vantaa's Hakunila and has three sisters and one brother, all of whom took instrument lessons while growing up. He started playing cello when he was nine. He and his sisters made several amateur recordings for their family, usually for Christmas.He attended the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, where he met future Apocalyptica band members Paavo Lötjönen
Paavo Lötjönen
Paavo Lötjönen is a cello player for Finnish band Apocalyptica.Paavo comes from a family where both of his parents were professional musicians....
, Antero Manninen, and Max Lilja
Max Lilja
Max Lilja is a cellist, formerly of cello metal/chamber music band Apocalyptica and currently in the band Hevein. He left Apocalyptica in 2002...
. After graduating, he played for several orchestras, including Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra is a Finnish orchestra based in Helsinki, and is the chief radio orchestra of the Finnish Broadcasting Company . The orchestra primarily gives concerts at the Helsinki Music Centre...
and Avanti! chamber orchestra. He's also a founding member of the Sibelius Academy's Cellosextet. When attending Sibelius Academy, Eicca could not get an apartment or student support money because he lived too close to Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, where the Academy resides.
In 1993, when Toppinen was still studying in Sibelius Academy, the members of the young Vivo Christian Orchestra got to witness how their orchestra mates played three songs from the Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
album, Ride The Lightning
Ride the Lightning
Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on July 27, 1984 through the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on November 5, 1987 and was most recently certified 5x platinum on June 9, 2003...
. According to Toppinen, he did not have notes for any other albums.
Two years later, Apocalyptica performed at Teatro Heavy Metal Club in Helsinki, on the same night with His Infernal Majesty, later to be known as HIM. A week later, Kari Hynninen of Zen Garden Records contacted Eicca to discuss a deal to make their very first record, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos
Plays Metallica by Four Cellos
Plays Metallica by Four Cellos is the debut album by Finnish metal band Apocalyptica, released in 1996. It features eight instrumental Metallica covers arranged and played on cellos.-Track listing:#"Enter Sandman" - 3:41 ...
.
Toppinen married Kirsi Ylijoki
Kirsi Ylijoki
Kirsi Marja Ylijoki is a Finnish actress who first achieved fame for her role in the Finnish Soap Opera Sydän toivoa täynnä...
, a Finnish actress, in 1997. They live in an expansive rural area in Sipoo, Finland. They have 2 children: Eelis, born in 1999, and Ilmari, born in 2002.
After first writing songs for Apocalyptica, Toppinen also became involved in the writing of music for various other projects, such as the theatrical performance of Paper Rain and the Finnish Film Milja.
In 2007, Toppinen composed the soundtrack for the Finnish movie Musta Jää (Black Ice). He has since been nominated and, on February 3, 2008, won a Jussi Award for writing the score. He also wrote the movie's main theme, sung by Hanna Pakarinen
Hanna Pakarinen
Hanna Helena Pakarinen is a Finnish pop and pop-rock singer who rose to fame as the winner of the first series of the Finnish singing competition Idols in 2004...
.
In December, 2007, Toppinen was invited to the Finnish Independence Day Presidential Reception in Helsinki. He attended with his wife, Kirsi, and was prominently featured in several news articles and interviews. Unfortunately, he had to miss Apocalyptica's sold-out show in Strasbourg, France, the first time he had ever missed a performance by his band in 14 years.
Toppinen says his biggest achievement is Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
.
Equipment
CelloCello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
Lupot (1787)
Postiglione (1857)
Bow
Bow (music)
In music, a bow is moved across some part of a musical instrument, causing vibration which the instrument emits as sound. The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones....
Guillaume
A. Vigneron
Strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
Tomastik Infeld Spirocore