Mirva Tarvainen
Mirva Tarvainen (born in 1989) is a musician and composer who is currently studying music and ethnomusicology at the University of Melbourne, Australia. These studies are a part of her studies in Finnish folk music in Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. She is especially interested in the old traditions of Finland and other Finno-Ugric people. Tarvainen sings and plays bass, violin and the Finnish bowed lyre, jouhikko. During the exchange studies in Melbourne, she has also learned some basics in the Chinese "fiddle", erhu, and is now learning how to play the cello.
Before Sibelius Academy Tarvainen has studied folk and classical music in the conservatories of Joensuu and Kuopio. She has also played in many projects of various genres from her early teenage years.
Her path to multi-instrumentalism began in her home town Leppävirta, where she started playing classical violin at the age of seven. She was 10 years old when she first tried out electric bass, and after that she learned some basics in electric bass, acoustic guitar, and drum kit at a music club for teenagers, where she started out as a singer.
Tarvainen's interest for finnish folk music arose at the age of seventeen. After high school she continued playing classical violin in the Joensuu conservatory, but quicly changed her main subject to folk music. At those times she got her hands on a double bass, and couldn't let go of it anymore. In 2010, after beginnig her music studies in the North-Carelian University of Applied Scienses, she changed her main instrument as well. And after a year of studies in the North-Carelian University of Applied Scienses she got in to the folk music department of Sibelius Academy, having both violin and double bass as her main instruments.
Mirva Tarvainen is a very versatile a musician. Her multi-instrumentalistic skills and interest for various music styles have enabled her to play in many differend kinds of bands and orchestras of various genres. In 2011 Tarvainen got to play in a 8-person string orchestra for an album of a finnish rock band Kotiteollisuus (Kotiteollisuus, Johanna Kustannus Oy 2011). After that a finnish heavy metal band Ruinside asked her to make some string arrangements for their first album "The Hunt" (Mighty Music, 2012). Tarvainen has also accompanied finnish folk dance groups of a Joensuu based folk dance ensemble Motora. Motora's band Rälläkkä recorded and published their first album "Tangon jälkeen" in 2011.
In the summer of 2012 Tarvainen played violin, jouhikko and a percussive instrument called "slagbordun" in the summer theater of Raasepori in a play "Mio, min Mio" by Astrid Lindgren. She's been working in many other kinds of projects as well and has a vast performing experience.
Other Bands/ projects
SONIC OBSERVER BLOG
A new music blog that includes music-related writings and a section called "Sonic Journal": an attempt to express and share the experiences and thoughts the exchange year in Melbourne has brought. The blog is also a personal learning process: Tarvainen is now learning how to record and mix music with very little and easily portable equipment. Follow the process here: https://sonicobserver.wordpress.com/
ESTERIN TEEKANNU
Esterin Teekannu is a duo that was formed in Joensuu by Jenni Venäläinen (Finnish diatonic kanteles and vocals) and Mirva Tarvainen (double bass, vocals and violin). The hypnotic sound of the Kantele, hearty vocal harmonies and the mellow, low frequencies of the bass create rich soundscapes around the ancient stories from the Finnish folk lore.
MAARA
Maara is a band formed in 2014, combining acoustic instruments with electronics and creating new music that is partly based on Fenno-Ugric folk music aesthetics.
Maara is a band formed in 2014, combining acoustic instruments with electronics and creating new music that is partly based on Fenno-Ugric folk music aesthetics.
SIBELIUS ACADEMY FOLK BIG BAND
Folk Big Band is one of the biggest folk music bands in Europe. It was formed in 2010 at the Folk music department of Sibelius Academy. The massive sound of the orchestra comes from a large variety of traditional and modern folk music instruments working together as a coordinated unit. Their first album "FBB" was released on the 19th of February 2014, and it has received great reviews and was awarded with "Etno-Emma" as the best Finnish ethno music album of the year.