Ertama, Erkki (1927–2010)

Erkki Ertama (Bertel Erik Ertama, born Enbom, 26 November 1927 in Alavus – 16 September 2010 in Helsinki) was a Finnish composer, conductor and music advisor. He wrote poetry under the name Erkki Leino. Ertama has composed music for many commercials and films, including Mikko Niskanen’s films Sissit (1963) and Kahdeksan surmanluotia (1972). The educational short film Hermoprässi, completed in 1963, was awarded the Grand Prix for documentary films at Cannes for Kaarlo Nuorvala’s script and Ertama’s experimental music.

Born into a violin-making family in Alavus, South Ostrobothnia, Ertama began studying violin at the Helsinki Conservatory at the age of five, but a finger injury sustained while working with a sickle while harvesting made him switch to piano and other keyboard instruments. He entered the Sibelius Academy, played as a bar pianist in the evenings and studied church music and composition during the day. He wrote his final thesis on the music of Béla Bartók. In the early stages of his career, composing classical music was left out of his repertoire, as light music took up all his time.