Mikko Ojanen (MA) will defend the doctoral dissertation entitled "User Stories of Erkki Kurenniemi's Electronic Musical Instruments, 1961-1978" in the public examination in the Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki, on 18 December 2020 at 4 pm (EET).

The doctoral dissertation concentrates on the history of electroacoustic music and electronic instrument design in Finland in the 1960s and 1970s. The subject of the study are the unique electronic instruments designed by Erkki Kurenniemi (1941–2017), Finnish pioneer of electronic music, and the music produced especially with these instruments. From a historical perspective, the dissertation challenges and refines the previous descriptions of the situation of electroacoustic music in Finland in the 1960s and 1970s. From the perspective of technology studies, the work shows how technological artifacts evolve in a complex interaction between the original designer, users, and the artifact itself, rather than as inventions by a lonely designer, in a laboratory isolated from the rest of the world. The research is based on historically significant cultural heritage sources, which consist of musical works (approx. 100 works), historical media and archival material, photographs, musical instruments and oral history. The work meets the challenge of open science and seeks to make a rich body of material available as openly as possible for further use and review.

Goldwin Smith Professor of Science and Technology Studies Trevor Pinch (Cornell University), will serve as the opponent, and Professor Heta Pyrhönen (University of Helsinki) as the custos.

Due to the current situation audience is not allowed in the lecture hall and the discussion can be followed in Zoom:

https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/62501300223?pwd=UHB1dlliVEZscGtnYk5IaURmT3Rkdz09 
Meeting ID: 62 501 300 223 / pw: 434434

The electronic form of the dissertation is available in E-thesis service: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-51-6394-3  and in Zenodo archive:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4018719   

The event in the University of Helsinki events calendar: https://helsinginyliopisto.etapahtuma.fi/Kalenteri/English?id=59316  

For more information: mikko.ojanen@helsinki.fi; +358(0)44 242 8103

Information about the respondent: Mikko Ojanen studies the history of electroacoustic music in Finland in the 1960s and 1970s in the Doctoral Programme for Philosophy, Arts and Society. He works as a part-time lecturer at the university’s Electronic Music Studio and as an information specialist in the Helsinki University Library Data Support. Ojanen also performs frequently as a musician, sound technician and music producer in several electronic, experimental and popular music projects and groups.
https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/persons/mikko-ojanen
https://www.discogs.com/artist/515228-Mikko-Ojanen