Composer-conductor Atso Almila was one of my early influences. He taught an open conducting class at the Sibelius Academy called "Sandbox", which basically was a playground for anyone interested in conducting. You just took your own instrument with you or sat behind one of the pianos and participated in the orchestra that way and you were allowed to try your hand on conducting some of the classical core repertoire.

Other that giving me a chance to learn repertoire I have to thank Atso for putting a baton in my hand and, more specifically, to my right hand. I am left-handed like him, but going round orchestras and competitions I have heard so much (mostly unjust) complaints about left-handed conducting that I am glad I don't have to put up with that on top of all other challenges of this profession.

Currently Atso Almila is a lecturer at the Sibelius Academy as well as a conductor of the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra, but he is devoting more and more time to composing these days.