Composer Yrjö Mikkonen PhD (born 1949) lives in Oulu, North-Finland. He graduated from the University of Jyväskylä majoring in musicology, after which he worked as lecturer on Music History in Oulu Conservatoire from 1979 to 2014. He has also given lectures in the universities of Oulu and Kuopio. In 2004 he defended his dissertation on a cross-scientific topic and received his doctorate degree with the highest honors.

 

Mikkonen has written a considerable bulk of consert critiques and articles on music, literature and music politics in Kaleva newspaper circulating in North Finland. As a researcher on conceptualisation he comments frequently on social issues and has published several scientific articles on the relationship of language and reality.

 

Mikkonen taken studies on the violin, choral conduction and singing, and is an active musician (singing, violin, quitar). He has coached chamber musicians and has experience of recording sessions in ensemble conducting and in artistic production.

 

Mikkonen is basically a self taught composer and his earlist works have appeared in the end of 1970s. Recently, he has improved his compositional and orchestral skills under professor Alan Belkin from Canada - see http://alanbelkinmusic.com/.

 

Mikkonen's music echoes influences from art and film music, world music cultures, jazz, pop music etc., and while composing he often co-operates closely with performing musicians.

 

His compositions include several children's songs (e.g. Tilleri Talleri Talliainen LP from 1981), youth orchestra music, choral music, art songs, solo works, chamber music for various instrumental combinations, music for string quartet, string orchestra, and symphonic music. In 1998 Oulu Concervatoire published a CD ”Landscapes” of Mikkonen's vocal and chamber music. His choral, ensemble and orchestral music has been performed by local choirs as well as professional and semi-professional musicians (November of New Music/Oulu, Tulindberg Concert Week), and by nationally famous musicians. Recently, his music has topped to the finalists' group in the United Kingdom Song Writing Contest/Instrumental Category.

 

See Mikkonen's lecture on Sibelius 6 Dec 2015: