Teemu Kleemola

My name is Teemu Kleemola. I was born on the 8th of February in the 1976, Porvoo Finland. I have been playing guitar since the age of 10. I started out with drums because my older brother Mika was already into guitar playing. The guitar was always there, but again by Mika's influence I ended up as a bass player. I also played guitar at that time and wrote many songs.
I admired, and still admire, great guitar players like Al Di Meola, Vinnie Moore, Tony McAlpine and Steve Vai just to name a few. I also listened to and played Metallica and Testament songs at that time. Later I heard Dream Theater and John Petrucci and the final inspiration was found.
In the year 2000 I went to the Porvoo Pop/Jazz school taking both private lessons and theory classes. Erkki Salmi taught me how to play Pop/Jazz music and how to understand it. I have also had a lot of band experience since the beginning.
Matias Kupiainen (Stratovarius) gave me a couple of excellent private lessons earlier in this year (2008). Currently I'm studying with Tom Hess (HolyHell, Hess) in the EGTIC (Elite Guitar Teachers Inner Circle) -program and with Luca Turilli (Rhapsody of Fire, Luca Turilli) in the NR (Neoclassical Revelation) -program. Tom taught me great new insights and skills during the MCMP (Music Careers Mentoring Program) -program and via correspondence lessons during the years 2007 - 2008. Luca Turilli's NR -program is awesome.
My instrumental song called "Running in Changing Weather" is featured on a "Sonic Bridges" compilation CD (10 000 copies). I've started the writing process for my full lenght debut solo album. I'm teaching guitar locally here in Finland.