Myth and Music

My work on my doctoral thesis meant a year’s study in Rio de Janeiro. I was supposed myth and music in practice and travel to the river Xingu to study time among the Suya Indians, but nothing came of it. Even before I departed Erik Tawaststjerna advised me to study ‘the Brazilian Sibelius’, Heitor Villa-Lobos. So I ended up following the advice because his museum was in Rio and run by his widow Arminda.

I defended my doctoral thesis at the University of Helsinki in 1978, although A.J.Greimas had hoped that I would do my doctoral work for Paris. In 1979 I established with five fellow students Suomen Semiotiikan Seura (‘the Finnish semiotics society’). In the same year I headed ‘into the country’ to serve as professor of Arts Education at the University of Jyväskylä. I was the first to hold this post, and I stayed there until 1983, whereafter I succeeded Professor Timo Mäkinen in the chair of musicology. Meanwhile Tawaststjerna’s position became vacant in Helsinki, and I was appointed to the chair in 1984, and had come full circle to my familiar alma mater.

By Written by Eero Tarasti (Riitta-Ilona Hurmerinta, ed.). Translated by John Calton.

Eero Tarasti

Eero Aarne Pekka Tarasti
Born September 27, 1948, Helsinki.

Master of Arts, 1973, Licentiate of Philosophy, 1976, and Doctor of Philosophy (Musicology), University of Helsinki

Professor of Musicology, 1984–2016, University of Helsinki
Professor of Musicology, 1983–84, University of Jyväskylä
Professor of Arts Education, 1979–83, University of Jyväskylä

Vice-president, 1994–2004, President, 2004–2014 and Honorary President, 2014-, IASS/AIS:n (International Association for Semiotic Studies)
Founder and President, ISI at Imatra (International Institute for Semiotic Studies), 1988–2013
Chairperson, Finnish Semiotic Society, 1979-
Founder and Editor-in-chief, Synteesi arts research periodical, 1982-

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Awards and special achievements
J.V. Snellman Prize, University of Helsinki, 1997
Honorary Doctorates in four universities abroad (Bloomington, Indiana; Tallinn, Estonia; Sofia, Hungary and Aix-Marseille, France)
Honorary member, Victoria College, University of Toronto

Written by Eero Tarasti and Riitta-Ilona Hurmerinta (ed.)
Translated by John Calton