Iiro Rantala is a Finnish jazz pianist, composer and arranger, known for his versatility and humorous approach to music. He is regarded as one of Finland’s best-known jazz musicians and has made a name for himself both in Finland and internationally. As a composer in particular, he has developed a distinctive musical language shaped as much by his many years of experience in jazz as by his engagement with classical music and opera.
In the 2026/27 season, his work as a composer will be particularly in focus. At the Komische Oper Berlin, he returns with Cast a Diva, a song play, starring Dagmar Manzel and directed by Ingo Kerkhof. At the Oper Graz, this will be followed by Perfect Match, a football-themed operetta musical in two halves, directed by Matthias Davids. Both projects underline Rantala’s growing presence as a composer on international opera stages. His previous opera projects also include Sanatorio Express (original title: Pikaparantola), which premiered at the Finnish National Opera in 2018, as well as Die Zaubermelodika, which premiered at the Komische Oper Berlin in 2021.
As a jazz pianist, Iiro Rantala has left a lasting mark on the international music scene. His first significant formation was the band Big Bad Family, with which he was active in the 1980s. In 1988, he founded Trio Töykeät, which was distinguished by its innovative blend of jazz and classical music and, over the following two decades, released numerous albums and performed at many European jazz festivals. Following the dissolution of Trio Töykeät in 2008, Rantala embarked on a successful solo career. He released several solo albums, including Lost Heroes (2011) and My History of Jazz (2012), which brought him international recognition.
Alongside his work as a jazz pianist, Rantala also writes numerous works for piano and orchestra, including the Concerto for Piano and Concerto in G♯ΔA♭, which was recorded with the Tapiola Sinfonietta in 2006.
Since 2023, Rantala has led the HEL Trio, consisting of himself on piano, drummer Anton Eger and bassist Conor Chaplin. The trio released the album Tough Stuff in 2024.
For his album Lost Heroes, Rantala was awarded the ECHO Jazz as Pianist of the Year.
He began his musical training at the age of seven at the Käpylä Music School and in the Cantores Minores Choir. He later studied jazz piano at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.