Iris
Seesjärvi
Contact
Areas of expertise
Biography
I hold a Bachelor of Humanities (University of Jyväskylä, 2007, Ethnological Sciences), a Bachelor of Music Pedagogy (Centria University of Applied Sciences, 2014), and a Master of Music (Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, 2017, classical singing). In my bachelor’s thesis (2013), I explored singing students’ experiences of vocal shame, and my master’s thesis (2017) examined the experiences of shame among Finnish classical singers.
Since 2014, I have been developing shame-sensitive singing pedagogy and workshop practices in collaboration with music pedagogue (Master of Culture and Arts) Demian Seesjärvi. I am currently conducting doctoral research at the University of Turku on the topic of shame and shame-resilience in the careers of Finnish classical singers.
In addition to my research, I teach singing privately (classical singing and for those suffering from vocal shame), lecture on vocal shame, and organize workshops for individuals affected by vocal shame.
I have also been a board member of the Finnish Society for Ethnomusicology since 2022.
Research
In my doctoral research, I study the experiences of shame and shame-resilience among Finnish classical singers. My data consists of 15 interviews and 49 electronic survey responses, involving a total of 58 Finnish classical singers. In my research, I explore what kind of shame-related experiences Finnish classical singers have during their studies and careers. I also examine the influence of Finnish culture on the experience of shame, as well as how singers’ shame-resilience is comprised of and how it can be strengthened. My aim is to provide new insights into the role of shame and shame-resilience in a singer’s career and to examine the impact of Finnish culture on experiences of shame. Additionally, I critically analyze shame as a tool of power.