To my parents

After many years of intense, yet exciting work, this doctoral research project has finally come to an end. I could not have carried out this research without the support of numerous people.

I wish to sincerely thank the supervisor of my written thesis, Prof. Dr. Marcus Castrén, for his profound knowledge, unwavering patience and supportive trust in my project. Warmest thanks to my general supervisor Dr. Anu Vehviläinen for all her help and positiveness, guiding me through the years of my doctoral studies. My deep gratitude is also due to the artistic board for listening thoroughly to my doctoral concerts and for the enlightening evaluation discussions: Dr. Mikko Raasakka, Prof. Charles Neidich, Asko Heiskanen, Vladimir Agopov, Folke Gräsbeck and, in grateful memory, Prof. Eduard Brunner. Special thanks to Anna-Maija Korsimaa for the inspiring artistic advice and critical ear when I was preparing my doctoral concerts.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the DocMus doctoral school and the Sibelius Academy for all support and possibilities, including a three-year research assistant position.  Warm thanks also to the technical staff in the concerts and to the professional support for the thesis website.

My sincere gratitude goes to Prof. Dr. Marina Frolova-Walker and Prof. Dr. Stephanie Zelnick for reviewing the thesis and giving significant comments. Heartfelt thanks to Lynne Sunderman for the language revision of the thesis text. I remain indebted to Prof. Dr. Jasha Nemtsov for providing crucial materials in the field of Jewish music.

I have been fortunate to benefit from fruitful discussions with numerous clarinetist- colleagues; representative for all of them, my cordial thanks to Prof. Evgeny Petrov. As well, I wish to express my gratitude to the composers with whom I had the honour to interact, providing me with their (unpublished) works, and thank you for having composed such exciting works for the clarinet.

I am extremely grateful to all the wonderful co-musicians in my doctoral concerts, it was an enormous pleasure to play with you. Special thanks go to Dr. Kirill Kozlovski, not only for the highly admirable music-making, but also for the countless rewarding discussions on the topic of Russian and Soviet music.

I am full of gratitude to my friends and family, who supported me during this long process: my dear friend Mikko and especially my beloved children Maya and Timo, who had to miss time with me all too often during the past years.

In loving memory, I ow immeasurable gratitude to my dear parents, Dr. Elisabeth Piirainen and Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Ilpo Tapani Piirainen, who passed away during the process of my doctoral studies. You gave me everything what I am, and I cannot thank you deeper than by dedicating this work to you.

Klaukkala, in January 2021
Anne Elisabeth Piirainen