Erkki Veltheim (b. 1976 Finland) is an Australian composer and performer. His practice spans noise, audiovisual installation, improvisation, notated music, electroacoustic composition, pop arrangements and cross-disciplinary performance.
Erkki has been commissioned by the Adelaide Festival, Vivid Festival, Australian Art Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Musica nova Helsinki, and his works have been performed by groups such as the London Sinfonietta, defunensemble, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He composed the orchestral works for celebrated Australian indigenous musician Gurrumul's posthumous album Djarimirri, which won 4 ARIA Awards and the 2018 Australian Music Prize. In 2019 he released 'Ganzfeld Experiment' for electric violin and audiovisual processing on the avant-garde label ROOM40, a work described by The Quietus as 'an exquisite form of mysticism'. His work has also been released on legendary Swiss label Hat Hut and close collaborator Anthony Pateras's label Immediata.
Erkki's cross-disciplinary projects include audiovisual performance work Another Other (2014/2016), with co-creators Anthony Pateras, Natasha Anderson and Sabina Maselli, commissioned by Chamber Made Opera, and audiovisual installation Fusion of Tongues (2015), commissioned by Punctum and La Maison Folie, Belgium, for ‘Mons 2015 – European Capital of Culture’ program. His film soundtracks include 'Gurrumul' (dir. Paul Williams) and 'The Song Keepers' (dir. Naina Sen), both featured at the 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), and the short film 'Landing' (dir. Sabina Maselli), featured at the 2019 MIFF.
Erkki was the arranger and Musical Director for 'Bungul' (2020 Sydney, Perth and Adelaide festivals), and 'The Genius of John Rodgers' (2019 Queensland Music Festival). He has also created arrangements for artists such as Tom E Lewis, Kate Miller-Heidke, Archie Roach, Alice Skye, Rayella, Emily Wurramara, and Zulya.
Erkki has performed with the Australian Art Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Elision and Ensemble Modern and Ensemble musikFabrik, and is a member of the improvising trio North of North with Scott Tinkler and Anthony Pateras. He has also played with many musicians from a wide range of styles and backgrounds, including Chris Abrahams, Mark Atkins, Bae Il Dong, William Barton, Han Bennink, Anthony Burr, Cat Power, Clocked Out, Brett Dean, Robin Fox, Paul Grabowsky, Shane Howard, Mike Patton, Stephen Pigram, Jon Rose, Wadada Leo Smith and Amanda Stewart.
Erkki is a recipient the Melbourne Prize for Music 'Distinguished Musicians Fellowship 2019' and a 2013 Myer Creative Fellowship, as well as multiple Australia Council and Creative Victoria grants. He was an Artistic Associate of Chamber Made Opera between 2013-2016.