Iro Haarla, born on November 7, 1956, is a Finnish jazz pianist, harpist, composer, and bandleader. She studied classical piano at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki under Izumi Tateno, composition under Einar Englund, and improvisation under Heikki Sarmanto. Initially intending to become a concert pianist, she shifted to jazz after meeting drummer Edward Vesala in 1978. She first gained recognition as an arranger for Vesala’s Sound & Fury ensemble, and the two collaborated extensively for over two decades. During this period, she expanded her instrumental work to keyboards and accordion and became largely self-taught on the harp. After Vesala’s death in 1999, Haarla launched a solo career as a leader and ensemble artist, recording and performing widely.
