DOUBTS

DOUBTS is a collaborative project by composer-performer Tytti Arola (Helsinki), singer–vocal artist Annika Fuhrmann (Helsinki), and French horn player-performer Elena Kakaliagou (Berlin). The project explores the feeling of uncertainty. Its starting point was the need to challenge the performance traditions and teaching methods of classical music, and a desire to investigate personal insecurities. A (classical) musician traditionally aims for a flawless, perfect performance. But what happens when the performer on stage is honest, vulnerable, and imperfect?

In addition to examining inner artistic uncertainty, the project reflects the broader spirit of our time – a time in which uncertainty has become a permanent state. We live in a world shaped by ecological crisis, geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and the erosion of social security. In Finland, these global concerns are also entangled with national conversations about the value of art, funding, and the role of culture in society.

During the residency, our intention is to approach this theme from multiple angles and to begin the development of a new experimental music theatre piece. The work will combine composed and improvised music, performativity, and scenographic video art. At the heart of the project is the question: What happens when we let go of the demand for perfection and allow uncertainty to be seen?

Tytti Arola is a composer, sound artist, and performer whose work explores the intersection of everyday life and the concert hall, multisensory composition, and spatial sound. Her works often incorporate electronics and multimedia elements such as video projections. Recently, she has focused particularly on performativity in contemporary music, the physicality of playing, and instrument building. Arola’s work has been presented at festivals including Helsinki Festival, Tampere Biennale, Musica Nova Helsinki, the Nordic Music Days, Meidän Festivaali, and Flow Festival.

Annika Fuhrmann is a vocalist and sound artist working primarily in experimental music theatre, sound art, and improvised music. She has premiered numerous works composed specifically for her voice and collaborated in interdisciplinary projects with artists from various fields. Fuhrmann has also composed and recorded multiple sound works for YLE’s Ääniversumi radio program. Her artistic work is characterized by strong and versatile vocal and bodily expression, as well as a focus on socially engaged themes.

Elena Kakaliagou is a French horn player and internationally active artist in contemporary and improvised music. She regularly performs at festivals and concert venues around the world, both with her own projects and with leading contemporary ensembles. Her work blends drone, microtonality, soundscapes, and lyrical expression. With over 20 albums to her name and performances spanning theatre, performance art, and solo concerts, she has established herself as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music today.