Itä-Suomen yliopiston kuoro Joy
Itä-Suomen yliopiston kuoro Joy ry (Joy-choir) is a mixed choir established in 1969, approximately 70 singers strong. The choir is comprised of students from a wide variety of fields, exchange students, and people already in working life. From 2014 onward Joy-choir has been recognised as the official choir of UEF, representing the university. The choir’s director is Mari-Annika Heikkilä.
Our choir’s repertoire has over the years included a variety of music both from Finland and elsewhere. The repertoire has both traditional choral music, folk, and spiritual songs as well as rock music and film compositions. The choir has also recorded five albums, offering music for varying tastes.
Joy-choir has concerts regularly and has also performed abroad, for example in Italy, Russia, USA, and Serbia. In 2016 and 2018 Joy-choir hosted in Joensuu their own invention of National Student Choir Gathering, with the intent of assembling choirs from around the country to sing together and to get to know one another.
Mari-Annika Heikkilä
Director
2017 – 2021
Joy-choir is led by music pedagogue Mari-Annika Heikkilä (Master of Music). Mari-Annika has a master’s degree from Sibelius Academy and Karlsruhe Music University.
Heikkilä has accomplished with excellent grades an A-level degree from singing with the instruction of Petteri Salomaa in 2013. In 2018 she completed choir conducting B-level degree from Sibelius Academy, likewise with excellent marks. Currently, she is studying the A-level course with Heikki Liimola and Jani Siven as her instructors.
Mari-Annika, or simply Mannika for the choir, is an inspiring and supportive superwoman full of energy. She keeps calm even in challenging situations and leads the choir with confidence from rehearsals all the way to concerts.
Currently she also conducts Joensuu conservatory’s children’s and youth choirs, chamber choir Kaisku, and works as a cantor in Kontiolahti congregation.
Helena Hulmi
Director
1984 – 2017
Techer of music, Director Cantus Helena Hulmi has been surrounded by music ever since her childhood, and has completed the degree of Master of Music from Sibelius Academy. In Joensuu she worked as the University of Eastern Finland’s teacher of music from 1984, and conducted Joy-choir alongside her work until 2017.
Previously she has been the director of, among other things, Joensuu boys’ choir, vocal group Sonetti, and UEF staff choir. Hulmi received the highest honorary title given to choir directors, Director Cantus, from the President of Finland in 2013.
Active groups and ensembles originating from Joy-choir
Kvartsi
English 
Suomi