Spending his childhood in Luxembourg and Germany, Finnish composer Joel Järventausta (b. 1995) completed his studies in the United Kingdom, and was recently awarded a PhD in Composition from King’s College London, where he studied with Sir George Benjamin and Prof. Silvina Milstein, supported by the Arts & Humanities Scholarship. Based back in Finland, Joel is currently writing a chamber opera to a libretto by celebrated Finnish author Tommi Kinnunen for baritone Waltteri Torikka and actress Pihla Penttinen. The opera is a co-production of Saaristo-ooppera, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Turku City Theater, where it will be performed 10 times in April 2024. His work has been commissioned by orchestras and ensembles such as London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre national d’Île de France, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Chamber Choir and Uusinta Ensemble.
The young Finn, in his mid-twenties, is clearly a composer who knows how to turn colour into sound.
Rebecca Franks – The Times (2022)
The 2023/24 season will see: the Finnish premiere of Sunfall by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir George Benjamin at Musiikkitalo in Helsinki in November 2023 (broadcast on Yle, the national TV and radio); the second performance of Naava with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ruut Kiiski in December 2023; the world premiere of recently finished Bacchanale, performed by Orchestre national d’Île de France, conducted by Ainars Rubikis at Opéra de Massy and Philharmonie de Paris in January 2024; a further performance of Sunfall in Denmark by Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Eva Ollikainen in February 2024; and the world premiere of his chamber opera in Turku in April 2024, followed by a planned tour around Finnish theatres later in the year. In summer 2024, he will also be the Composer-in-Residence at ‘I Djurs og Mols’ festival in Denmark.
The composer is on the rise in the world, and no wonder.
Harri Hautala – Aamulehti, translated from Finnish (2023)
Recent successes include the world premiere of Sunfall by London Symphony Orchestra conducted by François-Xavier Roth in 2022 in Barbican London and on tour at Konzerthaus Dortmund, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and Musikkens Hus Aalborg. In 2019, Joel received 1st Prize in the 7th Edition of Île de Créations Composition Competition, with his piece Ripped Tapestry, which was subsequently performed several times by Orchestre national d’Île de France, conducted by Antony Hermus, including at Philharmonie de Paris. Following this, a 30-minute Composer Portrait of Joel was broadcast on France Musique. 2018 saw the premiere Massahumu (co-written with four other composers) by the Finnish National Opera orchestra and chorus, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, commissioned for his 60th birthday concert, opening the Helsinki Festival.
His Sunfall…seemed an exceptionally assured piece of orchestral writing.
Andrew Clements – The Guardian (2022)
In addition to his doctorate, Joel holds a Masters in Composition with 1st class Distinction from the Royal College of Music, where he was a fully supported Scholar. He also holds a BA in Music with 1st class honours from the University of York and has completed an Erasmus exchange at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. In the past he has studied with Dr. Dai Fujikura and Prof. Veli-Matti Puumala, also receiving tuition from Unsuk Chin, Colin Matthews, Michael Gandolfi and Oliver Knussen.
Photo by © Maarit Kytöharju
Joel Järventausta 