Biography
in Finnish
Atro "Wade" Mikkola
b. 1956 Helsinki
Ehrensvärdintie 4-6 A4
00150 Helsinki
Finland
tel. +358-40-7541404
e-mail: wademikkola@msn.com
Education:
1991- Master of Music (Jazz Composition and Arranging),
University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts.
1989-Bachelor of Music (Afro-American Music and Jazz),
Univ. of Mass.
1975 High School (Helsingin Normaalilyseo)
Additional studies:
1991-93 Vermont Jazz Society Workshop ( Attila Zoller,
Ron McClure, George Mraz)
1985-87 Jazz In
July Workshop In Performance and Improvisation, Univ.
of Mass. (Billy Taylor, Max Roach, Yusef Lateef,
Victor Gaskin).
1977-78
Workshops by Max Roach, Billy Taylor, Oscar Peterson,
Archie Shepp, Reggie Workman ao.
Double-bass studies: Salvatore Macchia, Victor Gaskin,
Robert Field
Composition studies: Robert Stern, Frederick Tillis,
Yusef Lateef, Donald Shirley
Teaching experience:
1996 - present
Teacher at the Helsinki Pop/Jazz Conservatory and
the Helsinki Polytechnic. (Course on Jazz History
and Aesthetics, Bass students and small combos)
2000
Sokrates Teacher- Exchange (Hochschule der Musik und
Darstellende Kunst; Graz, Austria)
1999
International Association of Schools of Jazz yearly
meeting and camp (Santiago de Compostela, Spain);
1998
Otava - Summer-workshops of classic jazz .(Lessons
of jazz-history, bass-students and small combos)
(Director 2001,02,04,05).
1997-2003
Sibelius Academy - Open University, Helsinki, Finland
; courses in the History and Aesthetics of Jazz-music,
and small combos.
1993-94
Springfield Community Music School, Afro-Am. Intensive
Music Studies Program; bass students and small combos.
1989-92
Univesity of Massachusetts, teacher's assistant; Jazz-music
theory, history and improvisation, Music Literature,
Directing small combos and the big band.
Performed with:
Archie Shepp quartet, Ed Thigpen, Leroy Jones, Nnenna
Freelon, Cecil Payne, Attila Zoller, Eric Alexander,
Freddie Bryant, Peter Bernstein, Andy Jaffe sextet,
Montenia, Mandy Gaines, Emery Smith trio, Harold Holt,
Sol Yaged, Lill Lindfors, Jan Allan, Bruce Adams,
Ulf Johansson-Werre, Heinrich von Kalnein, Dwayne
Burns, Campbell Burnap, Larry Price, Steve Blailock,
Alan Matheson,
Raivo Tafenau...
Big Bands:
Top Brass, Valley Swing Shift, Valley
Big Band, Don Bastarache Big Band, Jeff Holmes Big
Band
Orchestras:
Pioneer Valley Symphony, Pittsfield Symphony, Five
College Symphony, Springfield Youth Symphony...
Festivals:
April Jazz 2002 - 05; Pori Jazz 97,
03;Helsinki Festival 97; Forssa Tyykijazz 1997- 2004;
Imatra Big Band Festival 2000, 03, 04; Kaamosjazz
99, 2001, 02, 04; Korppoo Jazz 2000-03; Tunturi Blues
2002; Otava Happy Jazz 2002; Helsinki Classic Jazz
1999-2004; Jyväskylän kesä 2004
