Harri Mäki began his clarinet studies primarily under Kari Kriikku and Reijo Koskinen in Finland and also took lessons with Osmo Vänskä. Later, he continued his private studies with Charles Neidich. After graduating from Thomas Friedli’s class at the Geneva Conservatory, he joined the Tapiola Sinfonietta as principal clarinetist, a position he held from 1988 to 2018.
Throughout his career, Harri Mäki has premiered numerous works for clarinet, including concertos dedicated to him by Juhani Nuorvala and Kirmo Lintinen. He has collaborated artistically with composers such as Magnus Lindberg, Kaija Saariaho, Minna Leinonen, Matilda Seppälä, Eero Hämeeniemi, Helmut Lachenmann, Matthew Whittall, and Anders Hillborg. Harri has performed as both a soloist and a chamber musician across Europe, the Far East, North America, and South America and has been a sought-after clarinetist at music festivals worldwide.
In addition to performing, Harri Mäki has been the artistic director of the Crusell Music Festival from 2011 to 2017 and has led the Sibelius Summer Academy for Woodwinds since 2019. He has also served as the chairman of numerous international competition juries.
Since 2016, Harri Mäki has been the Professor of Woodwinds at the Sibelius Academy. Many of the students who studied in his clarinet studio since 1995 have achieved success in orchestral auditions and international competitions. He has a world-wide reputation as a pedagogue and gives international masterclasses throughout the year. In recognition of his accomplishments as a performer and educator, he was honored with the Pro Musica Award in 2012.