Well-being of music students and music professional -research group
The research group focused on the well-being of professionals in the music industry consists of Professor Tuire Kuusi, an expert in music research, and five doctoral researchers.
Presentation
The research group working on musicians’ well-being consists of Tuire Kuusi (professor of music research) and four researchers preparing their doctorate. The projects focus on performance psychology of bachelor students (MM, Mental coach Anni Jääskeläinen), on the transition phase between master studies and working life (MM, Solution-focused brief therapist Johanna Engelbarth), on career management of professional musicians (MM Jussi-Pekka Piirainen), on well-being of church musicians, particularly from the perspectives of meaningfulness and fulfillment at work (MM Eerika Halonen), and on musician leadership and its impact within orchestra community (MM, M.Soc.Sc. Päivi Rissanen).
The abstracts of the projects are given below.
Researchers and research projects
Tuire Kuusi
Tuire Kuusi has conducted research on the heredity of musicality, the impact of performing on the expression of musician genes, causes of death of professional musicians, the well-being of church musicians and other church workers, the employment of music graduates (masters, doctorates), and the well-being experiences of doctoral students in the arts (see publications).
Johanna Engelbarth
I am a doctoral researcher with a passion for promoting the wellbeing and work-life skills of artists. In my doctoral research, I am developing a coaching programme based on positive and solution-focused psychology interventions to support graduating students’ transition into the profession. The cornerstones of the coaching are growth mindset, character strengths, self-compassion, resilience and body-mind connection, providing concrete tools to strengthen professional and personal well-being. The coaching will be tested on graduating Master’s students and recent graduates at the beginning of their professional life. The aim is to prove how the combination of positive and solution-focused psychology can support musicians’ well-being, employability and resilience.
Music and psychology are central to both my background and my work. I have worked for many years as a professional musician (singer) and music educator, and continue to be active in these roles. My practical experience in the field of arts and education has given me a deep understanding of the everyday life of musicians, the challenges they face and the demands of their professional lives. I am also a solution-focused brief therapist and psychology student, and apply these skills specifically to supporting artists’ wellbeing and work-life skills. Combining art and psychology in my research and work provides a holistic approach to supporting artists at different stages of their careers. I also work as a trainer, coach and therapist, with a particular focus on the needs of creative professionals. I am committed to developing sustainable and effective solutions to help artists flourish in their creative work and personal lives.
Anni Jääskeläinen
My aim is to investigate what kind of working methods support the training of the psychological skills of bachelor students. As part of my doctoral project, I am developing a model of psychological coaching based on research data. The model will support music studies and the career of a musician and can be used in, for example, in educational institutions. The coaching model is based on the identification and practice of psychic skills. These include emotional and interpersonal skills, motivation and goal-setting, skills in concentration and mood regulation, self-confidence and self-talk, and self-compassion skills.
The research question is how a coaching package based on performance psychology supports the development of well-being and performance of music students. In my research, I examine how regular and guided training in basic psychological skills improves student wellbeing, supports learning, and increases work-life skills. The theoretical framework is performance psychology and the theory of self-determination.
Jussi-Pekka Piirainen
My research examines the development of career management skills among professional musicians. Musicians build complex careers that combine performing, composing, teaching, and entrepreneurship into a multi-role career portfolio. Previous studies have shown that musicians benefit from career management skills when constructing such portfolios. However, these studies have not sufficiently explored how musicians manage multiple simultaneous roles as a whole.
The theoretical framework of my research draws on role theories and socio-cognitive career theory, based on which I have created a customized Multi-Role Career Management (MRCM) model. The research question is: How can MRCM model help musicians handle multiple roles in a career? The research aim is to test and validate the MRCM model and produce practical tools to support musicians’ career management.
The impact of the research extends from music professionals to other contributors in the arts and culture sector and educational organizations. I assume that the model will help musicians develop independent career management skills to create healthier and more sustainable careers. The results may improve artists’ well-being at work, support curriculum development, and guide cultural policy decisions. Results may also benefit professionals in other performing arts and creative industries and provide new insights into portfolio careers, career self-management, and self-regulation research.
In general, interdisciplinarity and portfolio careers in work-life are a growing trend due to short-term contracts, freelancing, and platform economies. People seek autonomy and value-driven work, which leads to an increasing need to develop independent career management and self-regulation skills.
Päivi Rissanen
In my doctoral dissertation, I study the organizational culture of Finnish orchestras. My research focuses on the internal leadership among orchestra musicians and its relationship with the musicians’ basic psychological needs and experiences of psychological safety. These components—leadership, basic psychological needs, and psychological safety—are empirically linked to the well-being and quality of work of employees and work communities.
The primary research question is: What is the nature of internal leadership within Finnish orchestras?
A symphony orchestra is a very demanding and conservative workplace, and the psychosocial stress produced by orchestral environment has been found to undermine work well-being. Previous studies have shown that orchestra musicians, and especially musicians who work at the lowest level of the orchestra hierarchy, experience a lack of appreciation, social support, and artistic autonomy in their work. In a hierarchical and demanding work environment, musicians have only limited opportunities to influence the content of their tasks and job descriptions, let alone their working conditions and the demands of their work. Furthermore, social interaction during working hours is limited due to the nature of the work and the organizational structure. The internal vulnerability of orchestras became apparent with the coronavirus pandemic, and it is undeniable that more investment than before must be made in developing the orchestra musicians’ work environment.
My research is based on Self-Determination Theory and the theoretical framework of psychological safety, which are central to the study of organizational culture. The prerequisite for work well-being and motivation is a work environment where the individual can act autonomously, utilize their abilities, and experience communal belonging. A psychologically safe atmosphere, where individuals feel they belong and can safely learn, innovate, and challenge, is likewise an essential part of work well-being. Leadership practices are vital for the realization of both basic psychological needs and psychological safety.
In my research, I aim to identify factors related to the organizational culture of orchestras and internal leadership among musicians that can be concretely influenced to develop orchestras’ operations and improve work well-being of musicians. The results will also be utilized in the work-life skills training provided in arts educational institutions.
Publications
- Jääskeläinen, A. Mental skills for a musician! – Psychological skills coaching program. Esitelmä. International Symposium on Performance Sciences, Shanghai, 31.10.2025
- Rissanen, P. Suomalaisten orkestereiden toimintakulttuuriin liittyvien tutkimustulosten julkituomisen eettiset kysymykset. Esitelmä. SibA Research Days, Helsinki, 25.3.2025
- Kuusi, T., Ojala, J. & Pyhältö K. (2025). Taidealan väitöstutkijoiden kokemukset hyvinvoinnista ja siihen kytkeytyvistä tekijöistä. Helsinki: DocMus Research Publications 25. Luettavissa osoitteessa https://taju.uniarts.fi/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd86a29-e597-4863-8958-d27d44d88fed/content
- Kuusi, T., Tervo-Niemelä, K. & Viertiö, S. (2024). Factors influencing psychological distress of workers in the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church. BMC Public Health. Doi 10.1186/s12889-024-18165-x. Also available at https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024032212622
- Kuusi, T., Viertiö, S., Helenius, A., Tervo-Niemelä, K. (2022). Health and Well-Being of Church Musicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic – Experiences of Health and Work-Related Distress from Musicians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, 9866. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169866
- Pohjannoro, U., Kuusi, T. & Ojala, J. (2020). Vuosina 2012–2019 valmistuneet musiikin tohtorit työelämässä. Akateeminen urapolku vai ”mukava lisä”. Sibelius-Akatemian selvityksiä ja raportteja 22. Helsinki: Sibelius-Akatemia.
- Nair, P. S., Kuusi, T., Ahvenainen, M., Philips, A.K. & Järvelä, I. (2019). Music-performance regulates microRNAs in professional musicians. PeerJ7:e6660 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6660
- Kuusi, T., Haukka, J., Myllykangas, L. & Järvelä, I. (2019). The causes of death of professional musicians in the classical genre. Medical Problems of Performing Artists 34, 92–97. https://doi.org/10.21091/mppa.2019.2016
- Rissanen, P. (2019). Taiteilija vai työläinen? Sinfoniaorkesterin rivimuusikoiden identiteettien rakentuminen haastattelupuheessa. Julkaisematon pro gradu -tutkielma, Helsingin yliopisto. http://hdl.handle.net/10138/302929
- Oikkonen, J., Kuusi, T., Peltonen, P., Raijas, P., Ukkola-Vuoti, L., Karma, K., Onkamo, P. & Järvelä, I. (2016) Creative activities in music – A genome-wide linkage analysis. PlosONE 11. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0148679
- Kanduri, C., Kuusi, T., Ahvenainen, M., Philips, A.K., Lähdesmäki, H. & Järvelä, I. (2015). The effect of music performance on the transcriptiome of professional musicians. Scientific Reports, 5: 9506. DOI: 10.1038/srep09506
- Kuusi, T. (2015). Musical training and musical ability: Effect on chord discrimination. Psychology of Music 43 (2) 291–301. DOI: 10.1177/0305735613511504
- Järvelä, I. & Kuusi, T. (2014). Geenitutkimukset, musiikki ja musikaalisuus. Trio 3 (1), 6–16.
- Kuusi, T. (2012). Musiikin tohtori työelämässä. Kysely Sibelius-Akatemian Solistiselta osastolta ja DocMus-yksiköstä valmistuneille tohtoreille. Sibelius-Akatemian selvityksiä ja raportteja 15. Helsinki: Sibelius-Akatemia.
- Kuusi, T. & Valkeila, R. (2008). Intohimona musiikki. Työllistymiskysely Sävellyksen ja musiikinteorian osastolta valmistuneille. Helsinki: Sibelius-Akatemia.
Contact information for the research group
Project name
Musiikinopiskelijoiden ja muusikon ammatissa työskentelevien hyvinvointi -tutkimusryhmä
Time
08/2024-12/2029
Team
- Tuire Kuusi (tuire.kuusi@uniarts.fi)
- Johanna Engelbarth (johanna.engelbarth@uniarts.fi)
- Eerika Halonen (eerika.halonen@uniarts.fi)
- Anni Jääskeläinen (anni.a.jaaskelainen@uniarts.fi)
- Jussi-Pekka Piirainen (jussi-pekka.piirainen@uniarts.fi)
- Päivi Rissanen (paivi.j.rissanen@uniarts.fi)
Lead organisation
Taideyliopisto
Presentation
The research group working on musicians’ well-being consists of Tuire Kuusi (professor of music research) and four researchers preparing their doctorate. The projects focus on performance psychology of bachelor students (MM, Mental coach Anni Jääskeläinen), on the transition phase between master studies and working life (MM, Solution-focused brief therapist Johanna Engelbarth), on career management of professional musicians (MM Jussi-Pekka Piirainen), on well-being of church musicians, particularly from the perspectives of meaningfulness and fulfillment at work (MM Eerika Halonen), and on musician leadership and its impact within orchestra community (MM, M.Soc.Sc. Päivi Rissanen).
The abstracts of the projects are given below.
Researchers and research projects
Tuire Kuusi
Tuire Kuusi has conducted research on the heredity of musicality, the impact of performing on the expression of musician genes, causes of death of professional musicians, the well-being of church musicians and other church workers, the employment of music graduates (masters, doctorates), and the well-being experiences of doctoral students in the arts (see publications).
Johanna Engelbarth
I am a doctoral researcher with a passion for promoting the wellbeing and work-life skills of artists. In my doctoral research, I am developing a coaching programme based on positive and solution-focused psychology interventions to support graduating students’ transition into the profession. The cornerstones of the coaching are growth mindset, character strengths, self-compassion, resilience and body-mind connection, providing concrete tools to strengthen professional and personal well-being. The coaching will be tested on graduating Master’s students and recent graduates at the beginning of their professional life. The aim is to prove how the combination of positive and solution-focused psychology can support musicians’ well-being, employability and resilience.
Music and psychology are central to both my background and my work. I have worked for many years as a professional musician (singer) and music educator, and continue to be active in these roles. My practical experience in the field of arts and education has given me a deep understanding of the everyday life of musicians, the challenges they face and the demands of their professional lives. I am also a solution-focused brief therapist and psychology student, and apply these skills specifically to supporting artists’ wellbeing and work-life skills. Combining art and psychology in my research and work provides a holistic approach to supporting artists at different stages of their careers. I also work as a trainer, coach and therapist, with a particular focus on the needs of creative professionals. I am committed to developing sustainable and effective solutions to help artists flourish in their creative work and personal lives.
Anni Jääskeläinen
My aim is to investigate what kind of working methods support the training of the psychological skills of bachelor students. As part of my doctoral project, I am developing a model of psychological coaching based on research data. The model will support music studies and the career of a musician and can be used in, for example, in educational institutions. The coaching model is based on the identification and practice of psychic skills. These include emotional and interpersonal skills, motivation and goal-setting, skills in concentration and mood regulation, self-confidence and self-talk, and self-compassion skills.
The research question is how a coaching package based on performance psychology supports the development of well-being and performance of music students. In my research, I examine how regular and guided training in basic psychological skills improves student wellbeing, supports learning, and increases work-life skills. The theoretical framework is performance psychology and the theory of self-determination.
Jussi-Pekka Piirainen
My research examines the development of career management skills among professional musicians. Musicians build complex careers that combine performing, composing, teaching, and entrepreneurship into a multi-role career portfolio. Previous studies have shown that musicians benefit from career management skills when constructing such portfolios. However, these studies have not sufficiently explored how musicians manage multiple simultaneous roles as a whole.
The theoretical framework of my research draws on role theories and socio-cognitive career theory, based on which I have created a customized Multi-Role Career Management (MRCM) model. The research question is: How can MRCM model help musicians handle multiple roles in a career? The research aim is to test and validate the MRCM model and produce practical tools to support musicians’ career management.
The impact of the research extends from music professionals to other contributors in the arts and culture sector and educational organizations. I assume that the model will help musicians develop independent career management skills to create healthier and more sustainable careers. The results may improve artists’ well-being at work, support curriculum development, and guide cultural policy decisions. Results may also benefit professionals in other performing arts and creative industries and provide new insights into portfolio careers, career self-management, and self-regulation research.
In general, interdisciplinarity and portfolio careers in work-life are a growing trend due to short-term contracts, freelancing, and platform economies. People seek autonomy and value-driven work, which leads to an increasing need to develop independent career management and self-regulation skills.
Päivi Rissanen
In my doctoral dissertation, I study the organizational culture of Finnish orchestras. My research focuses on the internal leadership among orchestra musicians and its relationship with the musicians’ basic psychological needs and experiences of psychological safety. These components—leadership, basic psychological needs, and psychological safety—are empirically linked to the well-being and quality of work of employees and work communities.
The primary research question is: What is the nature of internal leadership within Finnish orchestras?
A symphony orchestra is a very demanding and conservative workplace, and the psychosocial stress produced by orchestral environment has been found to undermine work well-being. Previous studies have shown that orchestra musicians, and especially musicians who work at the lowest level of the orchestra hierarchy, experience a lack of appreciation, social support, and artistic autonomy in their work. In a hierarchical and demanding work environment, musicians have only limited opportunities to influence the content of their tasks and job descriptions, let alone their working conditions and the demands of their work. Furthermore, social interaction during working hours is limited due to the nature of the work and the organizational structure. The internal vulnerability of orchestras became apparent with the coronavirus pandemic, and it is undeniable that more investment than before must be made in developing the orchestra musicians’ work environment.
My research is based on Self-Determination Theory and the theoretical framework of psychological safety, which are central to the study of organizational culture. The prerequisite for work well-being and motivation is a work environment where the individual can act autonomously, utilize their abilities, and experience communal belonging. A psychologically safe atmosphere, where individuals feel they belong and can safely learn, innovate, and challenge, is likewise an essential part of work well-being. Leadership practices are vital for the realization of both basic psychological needs and psychological safety.
In my research, I aim to identify factors related to the organizational culture of orchestras and internal leadership among musicians that can be concretely influenced to develop orchestras’ operations and improve work well-being of musicians. The results will also be utilized in the work-life skills training provided in arts educational institutions.
Publications
- Jääskeläinen, A. Mental skills for a musician! – Psychological skills coaching program. Esitelmä. International Symposium on Performance Sciences, Shanghai, 31.10.2025
- Rissanen, P. Suomalaisten orkestereiden toimintakulttuuriin liittyvien tutkimustulosten julkituomisen eettiset kysymykset. Esitelmä. SibA Research Days, Helsinki, 25.3.2025
- Kuusi, T., Ojala, J. & Pyhältö K. (2025). Taidealan väitöstutkijoiden kokemukset hyvinvoinnista ja siihen kytkeytyvistä tekijöistä. Helsinki: DocMus Research Publications 25. Luettavissa osoitteessa https://taju.uniarts.fi/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd86a29-e597-4863-8958-d27d44d88fed/content
- Kuusi, T., Tervo-Niemelä, K. & Viertiö, S. (2024). Factors influencing psychological distress of workers in the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church. BMC Public Health. Doi 10.1186/s12889-024-18165-x. Also available at https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024032212622
- Kuusi, T., Viertiö, S., Helenius, A., Tervo-Niemelä, K. (2022). Health and Well-Being of Church Musicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic – Experiences of Health and Work-Related Distress from Musicians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, 9866. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169866
- Pohjannoro, U., Kuusi, T. & Ojala, J. (2020). Vuosina 2012–2019 valmistuneet musiikin tohtorit työelämässä. Akateeminen urapolku vai ”mukava lisä”. Sibelius-Akatemian selvityksiä ja raportteja 22. Helsinki: Sibelius-Akatemia.
- Nair, P. S., Kuusi, T., Ahvenainen, M., Philips, A.K. & Järvelä, I. (2019). Music-performance regulates microRNAs in professional musicians. PeerJ7:e6660 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6660
- Kuusi, T., Haukka, J., Myllykangas, L. & Järvelä, I. (2019). The causes of death of professional musicians in the classical genre. Medical Problems of Performing Artists 34, 92–97. https://doi.org/10.21091/mppa.2019.2016
- Rissanen, P. (2019). Taiteilija vai työläinen? Sinfoniaorkesterin rivimuusikoiden identiteettien rakentuminen haastattelupuheessa. Julkaisematon pro gradu -tutkielma, Helsingin yliopisto. http://hdl.handle.net/10138/302929
- Oikkonen, J., Kuusi, T., Peltonen, P., Raijas, P., Ukkola-Vuoti, L., Karma, K., Onkamo, P. & Järvelä, I. (2016) Creative activities in music – A genome-wide linkage analysis. PlosONE 11. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0148679
- Kanduri, C., Kuusi, T., Ahvenainen, M., Philips, A.K., Lähdesmäki, H. & Järvelä, I. (2015). The effect of music performance on the transcriptiome of professional musicians. Scientific Reports, 5: 9506. DOI: 10.1038/srep09506
- Kuusi, T. (2015). Musical training and musical ability: Effect on chord discrimination. Psychology of Music 43 (2) 291–301. DOI: 10.1177/0305735613511504
- Järvelä, I. & Kuusi, T. (2014). Geenitutkimukset, musiikki ja musikaalisuus. Trio 3 (1), 6–16.
- Kuusi, T. (2012). Musiikin tohtori työelämässä. Kysely Sibelius-Akatemian Solistiselta osastolta ja DocMus-yksiköstä valmistuneille tohtoreille. Sibelius-Akatemian selvityksiä ja raportteja 15. Helsinki: Sibelius-Akatemia.
- Kuusi, T. & Valkeila, R. (2008). Intohimona musiikki. Työllistymiskysely Sävellyksen ja musiikinteorian osastolta valmistuneille. Helsinki: Sibelius-Akatemia.