Photo: Gustav Larsson
Mmus JEnna ristilä
I am a pianist currently doing artistic research at the DocMus Doctoral School at Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts, Helsinki. The aim of my doctoral project is to showcase music by Finnish composing women from 19th century onwards, and to explore the various ways in which gender relates to the performer, the work, and the composer. In the concert series I investigate how composing women have used different musical forms, and the last concert poses the question, who counts as a Finnish composer and why. In addition to the concerts, I am writing an article in which I examine how Laura Netzel used sonata form as a compositional tool.
My doctoral concerts focus solely on women’s compositions because equality and feminism are important values for me, as much in music as in anywhere else. I believe it is essential for musicians to pay attention to whose music we perform – who we include in the musical landscape we create.
Research, musicianship, and feminism intertwine also in my collaboration with mezzosoprano and doctoral candidate Marika Kivinen. We explore questions of gender and race in our concert projects, e.g., in our tribute to Marian Anderson and Kosti Vehanen (2021-2022).
In 2014 I graduated as a Master of Music from the Department of Performing Arts (Sibelius Academy), and in 2018 I completed my second master’s degree, this time with vocal coaching as my major. In addition to my research, I work as a freelancer mostly with singers and teach piano.