Jaakko Mäntyjärvi studied English and Linguistics at the University of Helsinki, graduating with an FK (=MA) degree in 1991; in 1987, he was accredited as an Authorized Translator from Finnish to English and English to Finnish. He is currently employed as an in-house translator and computer system manager at The English Centre Helsinki, a private translation company; he is also a freelance translator, most notably for the Finnish Music Information Centre and the Ondine record label. He has studied theory of music and choir conducting at the Sibelius Academy.

As a composer, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi describes himself as an eclectic traditionalist: eclectic in that he adopts influences from a number of styles and periods, fusing them into his own idiom; traditionalist in that his musical language is based on a traditional approach and uses the resources of modern music only sparingly. Because he is himself active in making music, his music is extremely practically oriented; he is a choral singer, and thus most of his works are for choir. His major choral works include Four Shakespeare Songs (1984), Dagen svalnar... (Day is cooling, 1991/93), Ave Maria (1991), Pseudo-Yoik (1994), Kouta (1996), El Hambo (1997), More Shakespeare Songs (1997), Deux ballades de François Villon (2001) and the 40-part motet Tentatio (2006); his work Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae, a memorial to the victims of the sinking of the car ferry Estonia in 1994, received 3rd prize in the European composition competition for cathedral choirs in 1997. His works, many of which number among the best-selling sheet music items of his publisher, SULASOL, have been performed as far afield as Japan, Singapore, South Africa and the USA, and some have been recorded by distinguished ensembles such as the Swedish Radio Choir, the BBC Singers and Chanticleer.

Major commissions include choral works for the contemporary choral music seminar at the Cork International Choral Festival in spring 1999 (Psalm 150 in Kent Treble Bob Minor) and the 700th anniversary of the consecration of Turku Cathedral in summer 2000 (Ecce magnus presbiter). The 20-minute work Kosijat (The Suitors) commissioned by The Esoterics of Seattle (Washington), USA, was premiered in Seattle in autumn 2001, and notable commissions further include ones from Chanticleer (The Ballad of the Oysterman, 2002) and the King’s Singers (Armahda meidän päällem’, 2003). His discography is extensive, topped by Pseudo-Yoik with 36 recordings to date in various versions.

Jaakko Mäntyjärvi was composer-in-residence to the Tapiola Chamber Choir from 2000 to 2005, an appointment that began with SALVAT 1701, a 70-minute choral drama consisting of texts and hymns from the Finnish ‘Old Hymnal’ of 1701, premiered and released on CD in autumn 2001 on the occasion of the hymnal’s 300th anniversary, and ended with Introitus et Kyrie Missae Sancti Henrici, premiered in spring 2005. The Choir also released the first CD dedicated solely to his works, ECLECTICA (Warner / Finlandia Records).

Jaakko Mäntyjärvi has been active as an amateur and semi-professional musician, mainly as a choral singer with a number of Finnish choirs, including the Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir, the professional Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble and the Tapiola Chamber Choir. He conducted the Savolaisen Osakunnan Laulajat student choir from 1988 to 1993 and was deputy conductor of the Tapiola Chamber Choir from 1998 to 2004. He has also given talks and workshops; his foreign engagements include residencies at the Choralfest of the Australian National Choral Association, at the University of North Texas and at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.