PhD Project

Intercultural Music Education Through West Asian Traditions:
Fostering Cultural Flexibility and Social Cohesion Among Finnish Youth

This doctoral research investigates how learning West Asian musical traditions—through listening, performance, and collaboration—can enhance cultural flexibility, empathy, and social connectedness among young people in Finland.

The project combines:

• Cultural and historical perspectives

• Hands-on musical practice (including santour)

• Collaborative group performance

Using a mixed-methods approach, the research examines how embodied musical experiences can challenge stereotypes, reduce bias, and create meaningful intercultural encounters.

Why This Research Matters

In today’s increasingly diverse societies, there is a growing need for new ways of building understanding across cultures.

Music offers a unique space where people can:

• Experience other cultures directly

• Collaborate beyond language barriers

• Develop emotional and social awareness

This research contributes to developing inclusive educational practices and supports the role of the arts in strengthening social cohesion.

Practice-Based Research

A central part of my research is practice-based and participatory.

I design and lead educational workshops where participants:

• Learn to play West Asian instruments (especially Santour)

• Explore modal systems (maqam / dastgah)

• Engage in group music-making and performance

These workshops are not only artistic activities—they are also research environments, where cultural learning, interaction, and reflection take place.

Recent implementations include:

• Workshops with music students in Jyväskylä

• Collaboration with university-level music education programs

• Intercultural projects within the INTRACOMP framework

Artistic Research Approach

My approach is grounded in the idea that artistic practice itself produces knowledge.

Through performance, teaching, and collaboration, I explore:

• How music communicates cultural meaning

• How learning unfamiliar musical systems shapes perception

• How shared artistic experiences build connection

This work exists between disciplines—music education, intercultural studies, and artistic research—and aims to create both academic insight and real-world impact.