Pia Siirala
Finnish violinist, composer and researcher Pia Siirala has completed her PhD at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts, Helsinki, Finland in 2024. Her artistic research, "Aspects of Hearing", concentrated on the music of the indigenous people, particularly the Chukchi people in north-eastern Siberia, where the ancient singing tradition is still alive. Pia Siirala had made several field trips to those areas, recording over 1400 songs. Inspired by this ancient indigenous music, Siirala has created several compositions.
"Getting to know the music of the indigenous people of north-eastern Siberia has been a turning point in my perception of music. It has not only influenced my hearing but has also made me question my understanding of what music is. The change in my thought process began with the fieldtrips that I carried out in north-eastern Siberia, specifically between 2004–2019, when I became acquainted with the musical traditions of Paleo-Siberian indigenous people in Sakhalin, Kamchatka and Chukotka. Never before had I encountered music like this, yet despite its strangeness it enchanted me. My interest was particularly awakened by the Chukchi Personal Song, which belongs to the cultural traditions of the indigenous people of the Arctic. Music is not just an outcome of human activity but is part of their identity. This ancient singing tradition has been the inspiration for my work as a composer and opened new aspects of hearing, which reveal what music is."
Pia Siirala studied at the Sibelius Academy, the Budapest Liszt Academy and at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She is the concert master of Ensemble XXI. Siirala has performed as a chamber musician and soloist throughout Russia, Europe, Australasia and the US.
