Photo: Gustav Larsson
Mmus JEnna ristilä
I am a Finnish pianist and doctoral researcher at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts, Helsinki. My doctoral project focuses on Finnish composing women from the 19th century until today. In four concerts and two articles I explore the various ways in which gender comes to play within the trifecta of composer, work, and performer. My doctoral project concentrates on women’s compositions because equality and feminism are important values for me, in music as in all aspects of life. 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 concerts to Marian Anderson and Kosti Vehanen (2021-).
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. Alongside my research, I work as a freelance musician in lied and opera.