Max Lilja b. 27.10.1975 is a Finnish musician. Max is best known for as a founding member and an active member in 1996-2001 of the million selling cello rock band Apocalyptica, recording and touring member of former Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen`s band from 2007- and for his diverse work as a cello master with many finnish and international artists. In his career Max has played in tens of albums and in hundreds of concerts in over fifty countries. In April 12th 2013 Max releases his first solo album, ”Plays Electronica By One Cello”, an album that presents Max as a songwriter and as a master of electrified cello.
Timeline
1975 - is born in Vantaa, Finland
1980 - starts playing violin
1982 - switches to cello
1983 - 1984 studies cello as a practice pupil for Panu Saari in Sibelius Academy
1985 - is considered highly talented and despite of his young age is accepted to the Junior Academy of Sibelius Academy
1985 - 1993 studies cello at Junior Academy of Sibelius Academy with Hannu Kiiski, Kazimierz Michalic and Dr. Raimo Sariola
1993 - plays For Whom The Bell Tolls with three cellist friends in a music summer camp party
1993 - is accepted to Sibelius Academy, majoring in music, studies cello with Dr. Raimo Sariola and Prof Arto Noras.
1994 - another cello metal band music summer camp experiment
1994 - 1996 principal cellist in Symphony Orchestra Vivo
1995 - principal cellist in Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra
1995 - the first rock club cello metal concert
1996 - Apocalyptica is founded, band is signed to a finnish indie label Zen Garden,
”Plays Metallica By Four Cellos” is released, touring starts
1997 - touring with Apocalyptica, bands debut album is released worldwide, drops out of Sibelius Academy
1998 - the second Apocalyptica album ”Inquisition Symphony” is released
1999 - touring with Apocalyptica, cellist in Mestarit Areenalla -tour
2000 - the third Apocalyptica album ”Cult” is released
2001 - last tour with Apocalyptica
2002 - joins finnish multi genre metal band Hevein
2003 - cellist in Finnish National Opera Orchestra
2004 - Tekijä Tuntematon, a Finnish folk/pop/+ band whos music is based on Finnish poetry, is founded
2005 - Hevein debut album ”Sound Over Matter” is released worldwide,
Tekijä Tuntematon debut album ”Rakkauden Ovi” is released
2006 - searching for ” the sound ” of electrified cello, the idea of solo album is born
2007 - starts touring and recording with former Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen
2008 - the second Tekijä Tuntematon album ”Syksyllä minäkin” is released,
”HeadFake + one” -tour with Living Colour rhythm section Doug Wimbish and Will Calhoun,
touring with Tarja
2009 - pushing the limits of electrified cello in search of ” the sound ”, touring with Tarja
2010 - songwriting and demos for the first solo album, touring with Tarja
2011 - demos and recording the first solo album, touring with Tarja
2012 - recording, producing and mixing the first solo album, touring with Tarja
2013 - the first solo album ”Plays Electronica By One Cello”
