Research
Combining Lived Experiences, Knowledge and Mission: Summary of My Postdoctoral Research
I love old people.
The inspiration behind my postdoc research topic was born decades ago, not in a lab, but in hundreds of nursing homes where I spent countless hours performing live piano music for elderly residents. There, I recognized how familiar songs could light up someone’s face, trigger long-forgotten stories or momentarily bridge memory gaps. Those experiences stayed with me throughout my life. I went on to combine my life experiences with education to tackle a purpose-driven mission towards improving the lives of the elderly population, over haphazardly creating just another digital “solution” that lacks substance.
Through my PhD in music education and industry work in educational technology, I began to see how these spontaneous moments of musical connection could be transformed into interactive, digital experiences, especially ones that honor older adults as storytellers, not just as recipients of needs.
My postdoctoral research brings these threads together. I design and study music-based experiences that invite older adults to play, recall and share memories by turning technology into a bridge between personal history and playful engagement. My goal is to create not just tools but groundbreaking interventions that place joy and human connection as much as data or performance, ensuring that technology serves people with dignity, empathy and imagination.
Summary of my PhD Research
The need to prepare students in universities in any field to transition to a professional is a major leap before they step into a competitive world of economy. In the field of music education, the importance of detaching the student identity from the tool itself, but instead inserting agency from confronting and overcoming discomfort from actions is critical in developing their individual identity.
My dissertation research was conducted at a music university in Finland, where I investigated how Classical piano students cope and adapt to various challenges and opportunities from confronting a semester-long improvisation lessons.
These findings reveal broader implications for higher education, particularly in preparing students for professional environments that demand flexibility and interdisciplinary expertise.
Dissertation Title: Broadening Music Performer Identity Through Free Accompaniment Practices at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland
PhD Chair: Alex Ruthmann
