As Executive Director of the Finnish Musicians’ Union, Tommi Saarikivi is responsible for ensuring that the Union works in the best possible way for musicians in Finland.
“As Executive Director, I work both for the Union’s members and for the staff at the office. In everything I do, I aim to ensure that our available resources are used effectively to promote our members’ interests and that the Union is a fair and good place to work.”
Saarikivi holds a Master of Laws degree and is a trained judge. In his professional career, he has spent the past 20 years working in advocacy, employment and copyright law, labour market affairs and cultural economics. For even longer, he has also worked as a professional musician alongside his main career. He joined Ultra Bra in 1996 and has since recorded and performed with several bands and ensembles featuring leading Finnish artists, as well as in orchestras for television productions. He has also composed music for several Finnish film productions. In addition, 15 years of work in an organisation operating within Finland’s state-subsidised performing arts sector have given him a solid understanding of the realities of symphony orchestras. Saarikivi therefore has a unique and multifaceted understanding of the work of performing musicians – both the structures of the industry and the practical realities of working in the field.
What particularly motivates Tommi in his work is learning. Despite his long career as both a musician and a lawyer, he still has a strong passion for playing and developing his skills. As a musician, Tommi feels he is playing better than ever. At heart, he is a musician, which may explain why he was drawn to work at the Finnish Musicians’ Union already at an early stage of his career.
“About 25 years ago, when I graduated from law school, the first place I applied to work was the Finnish Musicians’ Union, because at heart I have always been a musician above all. It is my true calling, so it felt like the obvious first place to offer my skills after qualifying as a lawyer. There were no positions available at the time, but fortunately things eventually worked out this way, even if it took a little detour to get here.”
Members of the Finnish Musicians’ Union are welcome to contact Tommi about all kinds of matters, including their wishes and suggestions for developing the Union.
Tommi serves as Vice Chair of the Boards of both the Finnish Film Foundation and Gramex.