Jonna Imeläinen, a vivacious soprano, is compleating her singing studies at the Sibelius-Academy (University of Music). She is undertaking her Masters of Music in the Church music department. True to her commitment and determination to maximise her potential, she is concurrently enrolled at the Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia as an undergraduate student, studying to become a singing teacher. She will graduate in the spring of 2008 from both institutions. She has blossomed under the tutelage of eminent facilitators Sirkku Wahlroos-Kaitila and Marjut Hannula.

Jonna has studied Lied music with Heikki Pellinen and Collin Hansen. She has also worked with a multitude of conductors and coaches both at home and abroad, covering a wide variety of expertise. This includes the likes of Robin Bowman, Susanna Mälkki, Jani Sivén, Toomos Kapten, Dmitri Slobodeniouk, Markus Lehtinen, Magdalena Hajossyova and Monica Meyer-Schmidt.

In the year of 2004, Jonna Imeläinen was petitioned to work in Lappeenranta City Theatre (Finland) in the well known musical Jesus Christ Superstar. With dedication she undertook the multifaceted roles of repetitor, choir conductor and
singing coach.

During her studies she has been selected to perform at both aforementioned universities in a variety of roles. She performed as Dewman in Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck) and as a townsperson in Fiddler on the Roof (Brock). Opera excerpt concerts included 1 st Woman - The Magic Flute (Mozart), Adina - L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti) and Clorinda - Cinderella (Rossini).

Jonna Imeläinen has been a soloist with a number of orchestras, including the Lappeenranta City Orchestra and University of Jyväskylä Symphony Orchestra . Her successes include, Hör Mein bitten (Bach), Gloria (Vivaldi), Requiem (Fauré), Oratorio de Noël (Saint-Saëns), Stabat Mater (Pergolesi) and Magnificat (Vivaldi).

In the year 2007 Jonna Imeläinen and a colleague were presented with a Finnish Cultural Foundation grant (€2500) as a reflection of not only musical excellence, but also an ability to organise high quality and demanding concerts in a variety of locations.

EDUCATION

• Postgraduate student in Sibelius-Academy
Helsinki , Finland
Singing
Organ playing
Piano playing
Choir conducting

Tertiary 2000 –

• Undergraduate student at Helsinki Polytecnic Stadia
Main Subject: Classical music
Singing teacher

2003 -

• Secondary Lyseo High School , Lappeenranta (Finland)
1999.

CONCERTS / ROLES

E.Penhorwood Too Many Sopranos (Just Jeannette), Tuula Niiranen

E.Humperdinck Hänsel und Gretel (Dewman), Jani Sivén

G. Pergolesi Stabat Mater , Satu Simola

A. Vivaldi Gloria, Luiz Ramirez

J.S. Bach Hör Mein bitten , Satu Simola

G. Faure Requiem, Satu Simola

J. Linjama Kynttilänpäivän introitus for soprano and organ (Premier)

Commissioned by Kuopio Church Music Festival

S. Sihvo Jääkärin morsian, Rauno Maaranen

B. Britten Rejoice in the Lamb , Toomas Kapten

C. Saint-Saëns Oratorio de Noël, Toomas Kapten

A. Vivaldi Magnificat , Toomas Kapten

•  Vivaldi Gloria, Toomas Kapten

AWARDS / ACHIEVEMENTS

Finnish Cultural Foundation Grant 2007
(2500€)

Lappeenranta City Scholarship 2005
(800€)

MASTERCLASSES

Monica Meyer-Schmidt and Jochen Köhler 2006 (Stadia)

Robin Bowman 2005
(The Académie Internationale
d'Eté de Nice)

Marjut Hannula 2005 (Joutseno Summer festival)

Anssi Hirvonen, 2004 (Lohja Music festival)

Kaarina Ollila 2002-2003 (Suomusjärvi Summercourse)

Maija Hapuoja and Carita Holmström, 2000 (Musical and chanson workshop, Sibelius-Academy)

Lena Hoel 1998 (Lemi-Lappeenranta Music festival)

SKILLS / LANGUAGE

Finnish Native

English Fluent

German Conversational

Swedish Conversational