Ralf Georg Nils Goth�ni is a Finnish pianist and conductor. He is also active as a chamber musician, professor, composer, and author. Born in Rauma, Finland he made his orchestra debut at age 15. Besides his worldwide concert career he has made some 100 recordings with major labels. He often performs in a double role conducting from the keyboard. Ralf Goth�ni studied the piano from the age of five, first with Tapani Valsta and later with Ervin L�szl�. Goth�ni mentions Sviatoslav Richter and Arthur Rubinstein as models for him. One of the first landmarks in Goth�ni's career was the 1977 Schubertiade in Helsinki: forty Finnish singers performed circa 450 lieds by Franz Schubert. Goth�ni has appeared as a lied pianist with such singers as Jorma Hynninen, Martti Talvela, Arleen Aug�r, Edith Mathis, Anne Sofie von Otter, Ileana Cotrubas, Peter Schreier, and Barbara Hendricks. He appeared in lied concerts until the middle of the 1990s and since that has concentrated on solo and chamber concerts and orchestral conducting. Goth�ni was the artistic director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival from 1984 to 1987. 

May 2nd, 1946 in Finland (Age 78)