Mia Heikkinen, coloratura soprano

Coloratura soprano Mia Heikkinen started her vocal studies at Paimio Music Institute in 1995 as a pupil of Paula Savela, after which she studied at the Turku Conservatory, firstly under Pia-Gunn Anckar and latterly under Kaisu Helminen. In 2001, she started her studies at the Music Academy of Turku University of Applied Sciences and graduated as a Music Pedagogue in 2008. Her studies at the Sibelius Academy’s Department of Soloists commenced in 2003 under the soprano Aulikki Eerola and Heikkinen has been studying on the Opera Studies programme since 2005. Heikkinen graduated as a Bachelor of Music in 2008 and is currently preparing for her master’s studies as a pupil of the mezzo-soprano Eeva-Liisa Saarinen.

Heikkinen has taken part in several vocal master classes in Finland as well as abroad with teachers such as Eva Blahová, Monica Groop, Elisabeth Werres, Udo Reinemann and Heikki Toivanen. Her vocal teachers in lied music have included Pertti Eerola, Collin Hansen, Tuula Hällström, Pentti Kotiranta, Ilmo Ranta and Ilmari Räikkönen. Heikkinen has also studied baroque singing under the tuition of Päivi Järviö, Anssi Mattila and Stephen Stubbs. She has also studied improvisation and improvised opera with the Improvisation Theatre Stella Polaris and the British group Impropera. In addition, Heikkinen is a founder member of the Finnish group Improah! which specialises in opera improvisation.

Mia Heikkinen is the winner of the 2007 Kangasniemi Singing Competition, and in 2008 she came second in the women’s competition of the Lappeenranta National Singing Competition, as well as being awarded the role of Blonde in Mozart’s opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail in the international voice competition of Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg.

Mia Heikkinen made her debut at the Finnish National Opera during the 2008–2009 season as one of the bridesmaids in Weber’s opera Der Freischütz and in the role of Papagena in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. In 2008, she also appeared in Helsinki Skaala Opera’s production “Turing Machine”, which was composed by Eeppi Ursin and Visa Oscar. The production will also visit the NOA (New Opera Action) opera festival in Vilnius in April 2009. Heikkinen also performed opera scenes as Olympia from the Tales of Hoffman with Kouvola Opera in 2008 and as Silja Kuula in Jorma Panula’s opera “Toivo Kuula – An Unfinished Symphony” with Vaasa Opera in 2005. Heikkinen’s roles from her period as a student at the Sibelius Academy have included Zerlina in Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, Serpetta in Mozart’s opera La finta giardiniera and Summer Girl in Merikanto’s opera Juha.

Heikkinen gives regular lied recitals with her long-time pianist Salla Karakorpi and also enjoys singing church music works. She has performed works such as Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and J. S. Bach’s St John’s Passion with numerous Finnish orchestras. Heikkinen is also in demand as a soprano soloist in works by young Finnish modern composers and has premiered works by composers such as Maija Hynninen, Markku Klami and Lauri Mäntysaari.

Homepage: Mia Heikkinen

AMONG FORTHCOMING PERFORMANCES:

Tampere Opera: Mozart, The Magic Flute, Papagena

PAST PERFORMANCES 2009-2010:

FNO, Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, Barbarina

The Mirjam Helin, International Singing Competition (Helsinki, Finland)

Finnish National Opera: Mozart, The Magic Flute, Papagena

Helsinki Skaala Opera: Turing Machine, performance in Vilnius at the Noa (New Opera Action) opera festiva

Photo 1: Mozart: La Finta Giardinera, Svenska Theater, soprano Mia Heikkinen as Serpertta and Riku Pelo as Nardo.