Secondary tabs
Submission information
Submission Number: 9
Submission ID: 33
Submission UUID: 390a56ee-9d7a-4a79-bd17-c43ff9b26cd7
Submission URI: /ga/form/submit-contribution
Cruthaithe: Sun, 18 Jan 2026 - 16:53
Déanta: Sun, 18 Jan 2026 - 17:45
Changed: Wed, 13 May 2026 - 08:12
Remote IP address: 87.92.235.17
Submitted by: Emmi Kujanpää
Teanga: English
Is draft: Níl
Current page: webform_confirmation
Personal Information
Your contribution
Applying Intersectional Feminist Pedagogy in a Transnational Folk Singing Collaboration in Finland and Bulgaria 2018–2022
English
My presentation explores the implementation of intersectional feminist pedagogy to artistic practice in collaboration between Finnish and Bulgarian female folk singers in 2018–2022.
The research material of the presentation consists of a music video trilogy (2019–2022) based on my solo album Nani (2020) and ethnographic interviews. Both the artistic and the ethnographic research data were produced in collaboration with singers from the Bulgarian Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares choir.
In this study, intersectional feminist pedagogy was applied to transnational folk singing collaboration by paying particular attention to power relations arising from economic inequalities. The research also analyses the roles and opportunities of women folk musicians both within the European folk music field and more broadly in society. The study suggests that considering intersectional feminist perspectives can both support transnational artistic collaboration and strengthen musicians’ agency. Accordingly, the research emphasises the importance of considering gender perspectives more widely in EU cultural policy-making.
This presentation highlights especially the artistic practices related to the Finnish, Karelian and Bulgarian languages throughout the project, as well as the ethical issues surrounding the endangered Karelian language.
KEYWORDS: feminist folk music composition, Finno-Karelian folk singing, Bulgarian folk singing, transnationalism, intersectional feminist pedagogy
The research material of the presentation consists of a music video trilogy (2019–2022) based on my solo album Nani (2020) and ethnographic interviews. Both the artistic and the ethnographic research data were produced in collaboration with singers from the Bulgarian Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares choir.
In this study, intersectional feminist pedagogy was applied to transnational folk singing collaboration by paying particular attention to power relations arising from economic inequalities. The research also analyses the roles and opportunities of women folk musicians both within the European folk music field and more broadly in society. The study suggests that considering intersectional feminist perspectives can both support transnational artistic collaboration and strengthen musicians’ agency. Accordingly, the research emphasises the importance of considering gender perspectives more widely in EU cultural policy-making.
This presentation highlights especially the artistic practices related to the Finnish, Karelian and Bulgarian languages throughout the project, as well as the ethical issues surrounding the endangered Karelian language.
KEYWORDS: feminist folk music composition, Finno-Karelian folk singing, Bulgarian folk singing, transnationalism, intersectional feminist pedagogy
- Emmi Kujanpää is a researcher-artist based in Helsinki. She is a folk singer, kantele player and composer specialising in Finno-Karelian and Bulgarian folk music. Kujanpää studied at the Sibelius Academy (MMus., Folk music, 2011), the University of Helsinki (M.A., Musicology / Educational studies, 2017) and the Plovdiv Academy of Music in Bulgaria (Folk music, Erasmus studies). Her current PhD research at the University of Helsinki (2021–) explores the activist agency and the experiences of gender in transnational European contemporary folk singing. Kujanpää works as a part-time lecturer at the University of Helsinki, teaching on Balkan music and politics, and at the Käpylä Music Institute where she teaches folk singing and kantele playing.
28.2.2026 Sibelius-Academy, 7th Folk Music Researchers’ Symposium.
In my presentation at the International Forum on Artistic Research in June 2026, I will highlight the artistic practices related to the languages used in the project, as well as the ethical issues surrounding them.
The Sibelius Academy's presentation in February 2026 focuses on the cultural sustainability of European societies in the context of the project's artistic practice.
In my presentation at the International Forum on Artistic Research in June 2026, I will highlight the artistic practices related to the languages used in the project, as well as the ethical issues surrounding them.
The Sibelius Academy's presentation in February 2026 focuses on the cultural sustainability of European societies in the context of the project's artistic practice.
Requirements
Powerpoint presentation, which includes music video material.
{Empty}
There are no ethical risks associated with the presentation.
Tá
Emmi Kujanpää
