The Finnish pianist and composer Johannes Piirto studied piano at the Sibelius Academy with Liisa Pohjola, composition with Tapio Tuomela, conducting with Jorma Panula and attended several master classes (including with András Schiff and Dimitri Bashkirov). He finished his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with professor Stefan Vladar.
Johannes regularly performs as a soloist with renowned orchestras in Finland and internationally, including Camerata Salzburg, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also collaborated with conductors such as Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Sakari Oramo, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Anja Bihlmaier, Dima Slobodeniouk, and Fabien Gabel.
As a pianist, he is in demand at numerous renowned events and concert halls throughout Europe, such as the Bergen Festival, Helsinki Festival, Musikverein Wien, Wiener Konzerthaus, and Mikkeli Music Festivall. His collaborations as a chamber musician include, among others, Julian Rachlin, Torleif Thedéen, Lilli Paasikivi, and Natalia Gutman.
Several of his orchestral works, commissioned and conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste, have been successfully premiered by the Finnish Chamber Orchestra. He also serves as the artistic director of the Chamber Music Festival at the House of Nobility in Helsinki.
Johannes Piirto joined Klangforum Wien in January 2024.