Taru Koivisto
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Sibelius-Akatemian tohtoriohjelma, Sibelius Academy
- taru.koivisto@uniarts.fi
Introduction
Taru Koivisto is a visiting researcher at the Research Institute and a member of the cERAda research network. She has served as postdoctoral researcher in the project “Performing the political: Public Pedagogy in Higher Music Education” (2023–2027, funded by the Research Council of Finland). Furthermore, Koivisto has worked as a researcher for example in the project “Economic evaluation of cultural well-being activities” (Artwell, 2022–2023, funded by the Prime Minister’s Office), as a visiting researcher (funded by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation, 2023) and as a researcher-developer in the project Kreativ personcentrerad vårdkonst (Åbo Akademi, 2021–2024). She has led a research project mapping the use of telehealth music therapy (2022–2023, Kela / The Social Insurance Institution of Finland research funding).
Koivisto’s doctoral thesis, completed in 2022, was a multiple case study on the expanding music professionalism in the Finnish healthcare system. The sub-studies were carried out in a neonatal intensive care unit, an infection and orthopaedic ward in a hospital specialising in the care and rehabilitation of the elderly, and in a hospice setting. During her doctoral research, Koivisto was affiliated to the Arts in health, welfare, and care research group of the ArtsEqual project.
Koivisto has served as a responsible teacher of music therapy in the Open Campus’s Näköaloja taideterapioihin [Perspectives into arts therapies] training, Johdatus musiikin opettajan työhön [Introduction to music teaching as a profession] and a co-teacher of the Global music program Cultural diversity and music research course. During the academic year 2025–2026, she is responsible of the Muusikot yhteiskunnallisina toimijoina -opintojaksosta [Musicians as societal actors]. She is a member of the board of the Finnish Society of Arts Education Research, co-editor-in-chief of The Finnish Journal of Music Education, and has been involved in many international and national research networks, third sector, and professional networks.
Koivisto’s doctoral thesis, completed in 2022, was a multiple case study on the expanding music professionalism in the Finnish healthcare system. The sub-studies were carried out in a neonatal intensive care unit, an infection and orthopaedic ward in a hospital specialising in the care and rehabilitation of the elderly, and in a hospice setting. During her doctoral research, Koivisto was affiliated to the Arts in health, welfare, and care research group of the ArtsEqual project.
Koivisto has served as a responsible teacher of music therapy in the Open Campus’s Näköaloja taideterapioihin [Perspectives into arts therapies] training, Johdatus musiikin opettajan työhön [Introduction to music teaching as a profession] and a co-teacher of the Global music program Cultural diversity and music research course. During the academic year 2025–2026, she is responsible of the Muusikot yhteiskunnallisina toimijoina -opintojaksosta [Musicians as societal actors]. She is a member of the board of the Finnish Society of Arts Education Research, co-editor-in-chief of The Finnish Journal of Music Education, and has been involved in many international and national research networks, third sector, and professional networks.