Introducing: Silvo Vatanen, ISM Guitar and wind teacher

Where are you from and what instruments do you play?

I was born in Hanko but lived my childhood in Järvenpää and now live in Helsinki. I play flute, South American flutes like quena and zampoña, charango (small 10-stringed instrument from South America), and guitar.

If you weren’t a musician what would you be doing?
Maybe a sound/music therapist

Where did you study?
I studied at the Folk Music Department of Sibelius Academy

Where are you studying now?
At a moment I don’t study.

What was the thing that got you interested in music?
My father plays piano and organ and he was my first teacher as a child. Later I became interested in native cultures of both North and South America, and also the music.

Who is your favourite musician/composer?
Don’t have just one. I like many kinds of music. Very difficult to say just one. Bach, Väsen, Ale Möller, Jonas Simonsson, Timo Alakotila, Iegor Reznikoff, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Maija Vilkkumaa, Los Kjarkas, Illapu, Lucho Quequezana...

Tea or coffee?
Both

Cats or dogs?
Both

Salad or Pizza?
Both

What is your favourite season?
Early autumn

What is your favourite food?
Indian food, pizza

Do you have hobbies?
Reading books about philosophy/religion

Do you have children? What are their names?
One daughter called Emilia

Introducing: Elias Trygg, ISM flute teacher

Where are you from and what instruments do you play?

I am from Finland and I was born in Helsinki. I play the flute as my main instrument but I can play a bit of saxophone and piano too. 

If you weren't a musician what would you be doing? 

If I weren’t a musician I would probably be a painter or carpenter. My profession would be something to do with different forms and materials anyway...

Where did you study?

I studied in the music institute of Lahti University and in the Conservatoire national de Rennes in France. In addition I have studied in many international masterclasses.

 Where are you studying now?

At the moment I do not study anywhere, but I have planned to participate in the entrance examination of one German music university if I'll find more time to concentrate on the program. If that will be impossible I'll study privately with the flute professor of that university anyway. I like studying!

What was the thing that got you interested in music?

I was born into a musical family, my father played tenor saxophone and sang very well. He also played accordion, guitar and piano. My older siblings were and still are musicians too. Basically I just heard music all the time when I grew up. I wanted to become a composer and would have liked to play the violin but my dad gave me a flute as a birthday gift.

Who is your favourite musician/composer?

Mozart and Debussy

What has been your most special musical experience to date?

I cannot say that, there are quite a few of those..

Tea or coffee? 
Definitely coffee, but Tea is also fine sometimes.

Cats or dogs? 
I'm a catman

Salad or Pizza?
Depends on the fillings!

What is your favourite country to visit?
I lived and studied in France so it feels like being my second home country! I love also Austria. I adore also the old Japanese culture and I'm going to visit Japan as soon as possible!

What is your favourite season? 
All the others except winter.

Do you have children? What are their names?
Yes! I have a one year old daughter! Her name is Irene

The Benefit of Childhood Music Lessons

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Science Just Discovered Something Amazing About What Childhood Piano Lessons Did to You

Introducing: Ann Valto, ISM Intern

Where are you from and what instruments do you play?
I’m from the USA, and I play violin, piano, and I sing alto as well.

If you weren’t a musician what would you be doing? Definitely a cartoon or video-game characters voice-over actress!

What is your favourite season?

Love, love, love, LOVE winter!

Why are you in Finland?
I fell in love with a Finnish man. We’ve been married for almost a year and a half now.

Salad or pizza?
Chicago-style deep dish pizza!

Tea or coffee?
Coffee.

Do you have any pets? What are their names?

I have a miniature boston terrier named Haze.

Do you have hobbies?
I enjoy playing computer & video games, making holiday arts & crafts, and drawing.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?
I have a soft-spot for Sherlock Holmes mystery novels. :)

Who is your favourite musician/composer?
Ahh! It’s so hard to pick just one. I’d have to go with Grant Kirkhope. He has such a unique way of adding color and life to his pieces.

Introducing: Raymond Shon, ISM Piano teacher

Where are you from and what instruments do you play?

I was born in Korea, but I’ve been living in Australia since 2003, so I guess I’m more ‘from’ there. I mainly play the piano, but I also study organ, and I used to play the guitar when I was younger.

If you weren’t a musician what would you be doing?

Oh this one’s a good one! I would say either an architect or a watchmaker.

Where did you study?

I studied at the Conservatorium of Music in Melbourne.

Where are you studying now?

I currently study at Sibelius Academy.

What was the thing that got you interested in music?
I was very lucky to have had good music teachers, who fostered an interest for music in me.

Why are you in Finland?
I need to be here to attend school at the Sibelius Academy.

Who is your favourite musician/composer?
Oh this one’s a hard one… probably my favourite composer of all time would be Bach, but I am also quite fond of the music of Ferruccio Busoni.

What has been your most special musical experience to date?

I would say when I performed in a concert that I curated for the 150^th Anniversary of Busoni. 

Do you have any secret/not-so-secret (unmusical) talents?
I am a pro at building Ikea furniture (at least my wife thinks so) and I am quite a competent swimmer and tennis player.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

At the moment, I do a lot of “surfing the bay”… which is Watch Geek talk for scouring through ebay for vintage watches… and also playing Lego Star Wars on Wii. That one I call “shooting up droids”…!!

Tea or coffee?
I think I drink both regularly

Cats or dogs?

If you had asked me a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have had any preferences, but nowadays, at gunpoint, I would probably say dogs.

Salad or Pizza?
Pizza all the way (without any guns pointing). I really, really love a good ol’ greasy, cheesy pizza (this also counts as a guilty pleasure)

What is your favourite country to visit?

At the moment, because I live in Finland, I wouldn’t say that Finland is my favourite country to visit, but once I return to Australia, I would love to visit Finland regularly.

What is your favourite season?

Summer

What is your favourite food?
This is the hardest question of all… I miss and crave a lot of Korean dishes that I haven’t had in a while. I love Fish & Chips, I love pizza… and pasta. Oh I love Souvlaki. And I love cake of course. Sushi and Japanese food. And burgers. I also love all the Greek food that my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law cook for me.

Do you have hobbies?

I am really interested in the history of watches. Especially at the moment, I’m really getting into the history of military wristwatches.

If you could take three things to a desert island, what would you take?

My wife, the complete works of Bach, and my watch collection.

Do you have any pets? What are their names?

No, but my wife and I look forward to getting our first puppy.

Do you have children? What are their names?
No