Department of Composition and Music Theory

We provide education in composition, music theory and music history to the major students of our department and students from other departments. We nurture the traditions of composition and music theory education and research both internationally and in Finland, carry out research and development work, and operate extensively in the field of art and research. Our alumni are leading artists and researchers: they have diverse careers as composers, experts in positions that require in-depth knowledge of music, teachers, journalists, researchers, and musicians both in Finland and around the world.

The department’s adjunct professors consist of composers Jukka Tiensuu and Eero Hämeenniemi, Emeritus Professor Eero Tarasti in the field of musicology, Doctor Tiina Koivisto in the field of music theory, and Doctor Timo Virtanen in the field of music philology.

Composition, music theory and music history are emerging fields, and we are constantly working to promote education and research in the fields. We organise continuing education in cooperation with the DocMus and MuTri doctoral schools of the Sibelius Academy, and we also engage in cooperation in teaching, research and artistic work between other departments, the History Forum, other research centres as well as the Theatre Academy and the Academy of Fine Arts, the other two academies of the University of the Arts Helsinki.