4. Case Studies

In order to gain insights into how other musicians view the development of an artistic identity, I carried out two case studies through the following interviews.

I’ve been doing music therapy. Folk music tradition shares similarities with music therapy. I think music has only one meaning: it is social meaning. Music has a big impact on communities and individuals, to make communities feel better and connected. The resonance and sharing connects people’s thoughts and emotions. If we are sharing, our subconscious can communicating with each other. We feel we are together as a community. It is a very human thing to do. People should have the freedom to express themselves, regardless of genres or styles. We should give freedom to others to express themselves as well. What is difficult in music education is that we have to follow many rules. Fundamentally, it is about identity, it is not about music.

I have been going to orthodox churches in Helsinki, I like the way that they appreciate art that art is about God. All sound is about praising. Even though it is not the only reason for art, but for me, how the sound affect us is something very holy and secret.

I usually improvise alone or with others. I start with one idea or theme. For example, last fall, I started to work on the heartbeat, approaching it in a philosophical and music way. The thinking process is equally important as actually playing. I like to understand the subconscious in music. In my bachelor concert, I played church bells through double bass. I am fascinated by the church bell’s patterns and rhythmic. Bells are played by hand, so depending on who’s playing the sound is different and different melodies are played in different situations. Two bells ring at the same time, their interval and overtone are interesting. The concert was about holiness and secretness. It was not about religion but more about calmness state of being. I was playing alone mostly during the concert.

I was not really nervous during performing. I need to know what I am doing. I knew what I am playing about. I rehearsed in front of different audience to get feedback. I don’t need to have much complicated technique. It’s enough to do what I can do. This makes me confident.

Meaning of Music

Music Background

(The following is a shortened transcription of the interview recording).

When I was a kid, I sang before I could talk. I just loved to sing. At the age of 7, I started to play violin by chance. I thought violin is cooler than piano. I started to take classical lessons. During elementary school, I started to be interested in electric bass because I thought it was cool to play as a girl because there were not many girls playing bass back then. I learned the basics and joined a band in our youth culture institution to play bass and to sing. We could try out different instrument in the youth institution. It was a big thing to be able to try out many instruments and be able to sing. Later, I accompanied young kids by playing bass, drum and singing backing vocals. I continued classical study and also started to learn rhythmic pop music. I started classical music in Joensuu Conservatory because they also have departments for folk and pop music so I could take some courses from both departments. I always felt like that I am limited in classical music, like I am not good enough to do my own things. It was always somebody else’s expressions in classical music. I saw many folk bands in Joensuu and I liked their energy on stage, which was very different from classical music.

More and more I shifted my focus to folk music. I started to play double bass. Folk music has given me lot of freedom to do my own thing. At the beginning, I tried to study folk music tradition but later I started to feel limited. So, I chose to study in Australia to get a bit distance and to explore new things. In Australia I allowed myself to do what I want to do and compose.

I have being pushed to practice technique a lot. Because of my rebellion towards regulations that you have to do exams to prove technique skills, I started to do different things on my own. In 2014, instead of technique, hand position etc., I focused on timbre and the sound, on how it feels when I play or listen. When I was still in Joensuu, I improvised with my friends once a week, to communicate through music. It was very special experience for me: the feeling of being free, not thinking about scales or any theory was wonderful. The experience made me think what is the meaning of music, why I play music after I was suffocated by the pressure to become an all-round freelancer musician. It might be other’s goal but not mine.

Folk music is a good approach for free expression and I am interested in traditions. Back then I couldn’t clearly put down my thinking in words. Things have evolved and become clearer for me. When I just came to Sibelius Academy, it is the top school with high status, I felt pressure and worried that I am not good enough to be here. After three and half year bachelor study here, I had a break point to rethink what I want to do, same as the break in 2014. I asked myself what am I playing and doing.

Verbal expression creates distance between me and others but playing makes the distance disappear. I am honest with others. There is no hierarchy between me and the audience. Performing is a genuine moment of sharing. Music does not necessarily need to have lyrics. Non-verbal music can move people. But good lyrics bring strong power as well.

Taking Own Identity

Today the most important thing in music for me is communicating, being in contact with myself and listeners, being present and genuine. Now I spend lots of time to think and read. In terms of playing with other musicians, I want to have deep contact with other players. Improvising is an easy way to reach this kind of contact. In terms of folk music and folk traditions, there is a need for music, that is why it is also called tarvemusikki (necessary music). Music can be ritual, for example lament or shepherd music to keep cattle together and have a good time. That’s why I have been thinking why do we need music? What music do we need nowadays? Since sometimes it’s hard to know what others need so I try to discover what music do I need. How can I entertain myself? People have different background, if my music can touch some people then it’s enough. My music is minimal. It is either touching or boring. Music needs to be beautiful no matter if the sound is pretty or ugly.

Music and Musical Identity

(Hirvonen, 2019)

Essi Hirvonen Bachelor Concert 2019. Music Center, Organo, Helsinki, Finland

Mirva’s identity

I did mostly fusion music with strong folk music in Joensuu for exams. Later on, I did some neo-folk and contemporary folk with my friends. Since then, I have been involved in different projects, such as classical chamber music, pop, metal, jazz, etc. I have been enjoying doing all kinds of music. I have done a hard rock album and arrangement for several metal bands. I just happened to end up doing different things. It hasn’t been easy to do many things. Sometimes I felt that I should have focused on something. But it would be unnatural for me to focus on just one thing. When I need to explain to others what I do, I am more comfortable now to say that I am multi-genre and multi-instrumentalist. I make music that mean something to me and sounds like me. I am still continuing doing it. For example, now I am doing classical music with bass, but also playing electronic bass in Motown style. I have done theatre music for plays. I was both musician and actor in one project. The music making was mostly through improvising on themes with rough structure.

My music is mostly based on pop aesthetic, but in the form of a classical ensemble. It is a mix of classical string, folk, pop, electronics, binaural recording, etc. My music is electro acoustic indie pop. My music style grows through doing different projects.

Case 1

Essi Hirvonen

First-year master’s student in folk department at Sibelius Academy, main instrument is double bass.

(The following is a shortened transcription of the interview recording).

I started to play music by taking music class in elementary school in my home village and neighbouring village in pop and jazz style. At the age of 10, I went to a school with music focus and started electronic bass by accident. I had lots of fun playing in band. In junior high school, I applied to a music school (musiikkiopisto). There I started to learn music more seriously. I was 16 when I received my first electronic bass individual lesson and also started music theory class. The school had pop and jazz theory class, it was quite a new thing, which really connected to my playing. My teacher was very into couples dance music and really pushed me to become a freelance musician. He said that I could do it so I should do it. I was in musiikkiopisto for 4 years. Then I applied to Joensuu conservatory pop and jazz department at age of 18. The first 2 years there I realized that I didn’t want to become a pop and jazz freelancer musician. I didn’t think the music was me. Then I applied to folk music department in the same conservatory. I thought it is my thing and what I want to do. I started double bass from 2014. I like that it resonates with my whole body and its acoustic sound. I got my first double bass. I sometimes still play electronic bass, but I haven’t found a way to enjoy the instrument. In 2016, I came to Sibelius Academy.

My musiikkiopisto individual teacher emphasized a lot on technique and all-around skills but it was not my thing. When I was in folk, my teachers were different. I was more independent and I had more freedom to choose what I want to do. I didn’t have technique exams after musiikkiopisto.

My parents don’t play any instrument and didn’t force me to practice. I don’t mind if they don’t come to my concert because it was my thing to do and I was adult enough to do everything myself. I lived alone already at the age of 16.

Music Background