Jutta Seppinen

Seppinen was born in Helsinki in 1976.{{cite web |url = http://eviva.sangochmusik.fi/sv/omeviva/dirigenter/ |title = Dirigenter |language = Swedish |trans-title = Conductors |website = Evivakören |publisher = Evivakören |place = Helsinki |access-date = 16 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116164333/http://eviva.sangochmusik.fi/sv/omeviva/dirigenter/ |archive-date=16 November 2016 |url-status=dead}} She spent part of her early childhood in Paris.{{cite news | author = | date = 3 February 2016 | title = Kapellimestari Jutta Seppinen: 'Olen onnellinen, kun saan elää eri tyylilajien kirjossa' | trans-title = Conductor Jutta Seppinen: 'I am happy when I get to live in the spectrum of different genres' | url = http://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2016/02/03/kapellimestari-jutta-seppinen-olen-onnellinen-kun-saan-elaa-eri-tyylilajien | language = Finnish | website = Yle Klassinen | location = Helsinki | access-date = 16 November 2016}} She began her musical studies at the age of seven, playing the violin at a Helsinki music school. At around the same time, she began singing in a choir, which became an important childhood hobby. She switched instruments to the piano at the age of 14, and some time later took up singing as her main instrument.{{cite web | url = http://www.juttaseppinen.com/#page1 | title = CV | language = Finnish | website = Jutta Seppinen | publisher = S.n. | place = S.l. | access-date = 16 November 2016}}

Seppinen attended the programme in composition and music theory at the Sibelius Academy ({{as of|2013|lc=yes|since=yes}} part of the University of the Arts Helsinki), studying music theory, classical singing, and choral conducting with Professor {{Interlanguage link multi|Matti Hyökki|fi}} and {{Interlanguage link multi|Timo Nuoranne|fi}}. Her thesis, written in 2005, analyses the interpretation of Desdemona in the operas Otello by Verdi and Otello by Rossini.{{cite web | url = http://ethesis.siba.fi/showrecord.php?language=en_EN&ID=325779 | title = Desdemonan ja Pajulaulun kohtaaminen: Pajulaulun merkitys Desdemonan henkilöhahmolle | author=Seppinen, Jutta | language = Finnish | website = eThesis | publisher = Sibelius Academy | place = Helsinki | access-date = 16 November 2016}} She received her Diploma in classical singing with excellent grades in 2007 and graduated as Master of Music in 2008.{{cite web | url = http://www.lyran-rf.com/dirigenten/ | title = Dirigenten | language = Swedish | trans-title = The conductor | website = Lyran | publisher = Akademiska Damkören Lyran | place = Helsinki | access-date = 16 November 2016 }}

After her graduation, Seppinen took part in master classes with Anne Le Bozec and Riikka Hakola, and studied with Peter Lindroos, {{Interlanguage link multi|Sauli Tiilikainen|fi}}, and Malcolm Walkers. She also studied with Tatyana Chitrova in Saint Petersburg, and took part in orchestral conducting courses with {{Interlanguage link multi|Ennio Nicotra|it}} in Italy.

After some years with a career as a choral conductor and singer, Seppinen returned to the Sibelius Academy in 2011 for a second master's degree, studying orchestral conducting with Professor Leif Segerstam and Professor Atso Almila. Other conducting teachers have included Esa-Pekka Salonen, Osmo Vänskä, Jorma Panula, Mikko Franck, John Storgårds, and Herbert Blomstedt. She spent the spring semester of 2013 at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig ({{langx|de|link=no|Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig}}), studying orchestral conducting with Professor Ulrich Windfuhr.

In 2014, Seppinen was selected for the Finnish National Opera's {{lang|fi|KapuApu}} programme for Sibelius Academy conducting students, being mentored in opera production and conducting by chief conductor Michael Güttler.{{cite web | author = | date = 18 March 2014 | title = Kansallisooppera ja Sibelius-Akatemia käynnistivät KapuApu-yhteistyön | trans-title = The National Opera and the Sibelius Academy initiate the KapuApu collaboration | url = http://www.uniarts.fi/node/2620 | language = Finnish | website = Taideyliopisto | location = Helsinki

| access-date = 16 November 2016}}

Seppinen held her orchestral conducting Diploma concert in October 2016, conducting the {{Interlanguage link multi|Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra|fi|3=Sibelius-Akatemian sinfoniaorkesteri}} at the Helsinki Music Centre, thus completing her conducting studies.

Seppinen's long-time private vocal teacher is Finnish opera singer and mezzo-soprano {{Interlanguage link multi|Eeva-Liisa Saarinen|fi}}.

For a brief period in 2003, succeeding Mia Makaroff, Seppinen directed the Helsinki-based female voice choir {{lang|sv|Evivakören}}. She was succeeded by Michaela Ijäs {{nee|Johansson}}. From 2004 to 2005, she directed the girls' choir {{lang|sv|Serenakören}}. She was succeeded by Nina Kronlund.{{cite encyclopedia | last = Dahlström | first = Fabian | title = Serenakören | encyclopedia = Uppslagsverket Finland | language = Swedish | year = 2009 | publisher = Svenska folkskolans vänner | place = Helsinki | url = http://www.uppslagsverket.fi/sv/sok/view-103684-Serenakoeren | access-date = 16 November 2016}}

In 2005, Seppinen was appointed artistic director of the Helsinki-based academic mixed voice choir {{lang|fi|{{Interlanguage link multi|Wiipurilaisen Osakunnan Laulajat|fi}}}}, also known as WiOL.{{cite encyclopedia | last = Lindberg | first = Johan | title = Akademiska damkören Lyran | encyclopedia = Uppslagsverket Finland | language = Swedish | year = 2016 | publisher = Svenska folkskolans vänner | place = Helsinki | url = http://www.uppslagsverket.fi/sv/sok/view-103684-AkademiskaDamkoerenLyran | access-date = 16 November 2016}} She stepped down in 2011, having directed the choir for six years.

In 2009, having received her first MMus degree a year prior, Seppinen was appointed artistic director of the Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran ({{langx|sv|Akademiska Damkören Lyran}}), the only female voice choir affiliated with the University of Helsinki, succeeding Kari Turunen.{{cite web | url = http://www.lyran-rf.com/historia/ | title = Historia | language = Swedish | trans-title = History | website = Lyran | publisher = Akademiska Damkören Lyran | place = Helsinki | access-date = 16 November 2016}} Under her leadership, the choir has expanded its stylistic width and its repertoire into new genres.

Seppinen has also worked with choirs Viva Vox, {{Interlanguage link multi|Chorus Sanctæ Ceciliæ|fi|3=Chorus Sanctae Ceciliae}}, and {{Interlanguage link multi|Dominante (choir)|fi|3=Dominante|lt=Dominante}}.

In the course of her studies and various master classes, Seppinen has conducted several Finnish orchestras, among these the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, the Tapiola Sinfonietta, the {{Interlanguage link multi|Joensuu City Orchestra|fi|3=Joensuun kaupunginorkesteri}}, the {{Interlanguage link multi|Kuopio Symphony Orchestra|fi|3=Kuopion kaupunginorkesteri}}, as well as the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, the Musikalische Komödie of the Leipzig Opera, and the St Thomas Choir of Leipzig ({{langx|de|link=no|Thomanerchor}}).

In 2014, Seppinen conducted the Sibelius Academy's production of the opera Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and in 2015 she conducted the Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran's, the Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki's, and the {{Interlanguage link multi|Helsinki Baroque Orchestra|fi|3=Helsingin Barokkiorkesteri|lt=Helsinki Baroque Orchestra's}} production of the Mass in B minor by Johann Sebastian Bach.

As a mezzo-soprano, Seppinen has given solo concerts, been part of opera productions, and performed in contemporary music festivals, both in Finland and abroad. She has premiered several vocal works written specifically for her, for example by {{Interlanguage link multi|Heinz-Juhani Hofmann|fi}}.{{cite journal | last = Vesa | first = Karoliina | translator-last = Mäntyjärvi | translator-first = Jaakko | title = The uncomfortable tales of Hofmann | url = http://www.fmq.fi/2012/06/152/ | journal = Finnish Music Quarterly | volume = 2012 | issue = 2 | access-date = 16 November 2016 | archive-date = 5 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305163415/http://www.fmq.fi/2012/06/152/ | url-status = dead }}

In 2002, Seppinen finished second in the VocalEspoo (previously known as {{lang|fi|KuoroEspoo}}) choral conducting competition. In 2006, she was selected for the international {{Interlanguage link multi|Eric Ericson Award|sv}} competition for young choral conductors.

Conducting the Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran at the 30th Praga Cantat International Choir Competition in Prague in October 2016, Seppinen received the Miroslav Košler Special Prize for outstanding conducting performance.{{cite web | url = http://www.bohemiafestival.cz/ang/praga-cantat-results-2016.php | title = Results of the competition | website = Praga Cantat | publisher = Bohemia Festival | access-date = 16 November 2016 }}

Seppinen lives in Helsinki with her family.

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Finland|Music}}

• [http://www.juttaseppinen.com/ Official website]
• [http://www.lyran-rf.com/about-the-choir/ The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran]

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{{s-bef | before = Kari Turunen}}

{{s-ttl | title = Chief Conductor, The Academic Female Voice Choir Lyran | years = 2009–2022}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1976 births

Category:Finnish women conductors (music)

Category:Finnish mezzo-sopranos

Category:21st-century Finnish women singers

Category:21st-century Finnish conductors (music)