Kujala-Pietilä Treatment

Established in 2013, Kujala-Pietilä Treatment is a pioneering, highly innovative duo featuring two of Finland’s absolute master instrumentalists, composers, and improvisers: saxophonist Esa Pietilä and microtonal accordion virtuoso Veli Kujala. Together, they have built an experimental playground that boldly synthesizes avant-garde jazz, contemporary art music, microtonality, and real-time electro-acoustic processing.

The foundation of the “Treatment” lies in its seamless blurring of the lines between rigorous composition and total, unbridled improvisation. Rather than treating their instruments traditionally, Pietilä and Kujala transform the saxophone and accordion into a massive, multi-layered sound engine. A major hallmark of their performances is their boundary-pushing use of live electronics: the duo frequently incorporates motion and camera sensors on stage, allowing them to dynamically trigger, warp, and manipulate electronic soundscapes simultaneously through their physical movements while playing.

From their explosive debut concert at the Helsinki Music Centre’s Camerata Hall, Kujala-Pietilä Treatment has locked in a reputation for expanding listener consciousness. Their music shifts effortlessly between crushing, raw, and electrifying sonic walls to moments of extreme minimalism, delicate playfulness, and hauntingly beautiful microtonal architecture. For this fearless duo, no musical territory is sacred, and absolutely no sonic terrain is impossible.