SOIVA Camp Teacher's Biographies
A Focused Music Education Program For Young People
Jeanne Doty
Recent Interim Head of the Music Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth and Associate Professor of Music, teaches piano, piano-related courses, pedagogy, and also coaches chamber music. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying and Coaching from the University of Minnesota, where she studied with Margo Garrett, and a Masters degree from Indiana University as a student of Enrica Cavallo-Gulli. She also received a Certificate in Dalcroze Eurhythmics from Carnegie Mellon University.
In addition to being highly respected as a collaborative pianist, Dr. Doty also plays solo repertoire. She has performed the piano music of Agathe Bäcker Grøndahl, music that is virtually unknown in the United States. Her live recording of the Concerto for two Pianofortes was played on Minnesota Public Radio. She has performed collaboratively in Italy and Costa Rica, and in November 2005 was invited to play in a “House Concert” hosted by the Norwegian National Opera.
Dr. Doty has been described by her colleagues as having ”impeccable musicianship and stellar ensemble skills, as well as being a first-rate human being.” A committed teacher, she is recognized by many former students as having been particularly influential in their musical and personal development.
Her active involvement and leadership in many Finnish music and music education activities exemplify Dr. Doty’s passionate commitment to her heritage. Recent accomplishments include co-chairing a highly successful FinnFest 2008 in Duluth, MN; with over 10,000 attendees, it was the largest FinnFest USA festival in its 25-year history. She is also the past president of the Yrjö Kilpinen Society of North America Ltd., an organization that promoted the songs of Finnish composer Yrjö Kilpinen by sponsoring a triennial International Vocal Competition in Madison, Wisconsin. The title of Dr. Doty’s doctoral dissertation, completed in 1996, was “ The Synthesis of Romanticism and Finnish Folksong in the compositions of Toivo Kuula”. As an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Dr. Doty created and oversaw a festival of Scandinavian Songs, which featured songs of Finland in its first year. She also developed a lecture-recital entitled “Jean Sibelius – the Man the Genius” which combined the piano music of Jean Sibelius with diary readings and slides.
Dr. Doty is a violinist with the Finnish folk group, The Third Generation. In the past, this group appeared on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, toured Finland and the Upper Midwest, performed at several FinnFest USA festivals, and recorded five albums, including a compilation CD. They performed at FinnFest 2008 to a large and enthusiastic audience.
This past fall, Dr. Doty spent six weeks researching music education practices in Finland. Her documentation, which includes recorded interviews and videos, will help promote a greater understanding of the world-acclaimed Finnish music educational system. She anticipates continuing her research in this area as well as sharing her findings with a variety of audiences.