Biography
Mioko Yokoyama (1989-) is a Japanese-Finnish composer based in Helsinki.
Her music is built on clear rhythms and a refined control of tone colors, which together create imaginative atmospheres, events, and situations. The sense of fun and playfulness is a central element of her music, because she believes that contemporary music is not difficult, but rather free.
After studying at Tokyo University of the Arts, she obtained her second Master's degree in composition at Sibelius Academy with top grades, under the guidance of Veli-Matti Puumala.
Her music has been commissioned by ensembles, musicians, and festivals such as Time of Music, Musica nova Helsinki, Avanti! Summer Sounds, Tampere Biennale (FI), Gaudeamus Muziekweek (NL), Warsaw Autumn (PL), IMPULS Festival für neue Musik Sachsen-Anhalt (DE), Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (JP), and The Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (NL).
Her piece 'Mineralization' won the Teosto Prize 2025 and 'Talking Metals, Talking Drums' was selected to the recommendation list of the 69th International Rostrum of Composers.
Currently, she teaches at Sibelius Academy.
CV
Education
2019
Master of Music in Composition, Sibelius-Academy, Finland
2014
Master of Music in Composition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan
2011
Bachelor of Music in Composition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan
Work
2018-
Part-time teacher at Sibelius Academy
Membership
2018-
The Society of Finnish Composers
2018-
Catalysti
Awards and Grants
2025
Teosto Prize
2024
Commissioning grant, Teosto
Travel Grant, The Society of Finnish Composers
2023
Commissioning grant, Sibelius-Foundation of The Society of Finnish Composers
Selected to the recommended list of the 69th International Rostrum of Composers
Travel Grant, The Society of Finnish Composers
Commissioning grant, Madetoja-Foundation
Working grant, Finnish Cultural Foundation
2022
Grant, Pro Musica Foundation
2021
Travel grant, The Society of Finnish Composers
Commissioning grant, Teosto
Working grant, Finnish Cultural Foundation
2020
Commissioning grant, Sibelius-Foundation of The Society of Finnish Composers
Grant, Nomura Foundation
Working grant, The Finnish Music Foundation
2019
Commissioning grant, Madetoja-Foundation
2018
Commissioning grant, Sibelius-Foundation of The Society of Finnish Composers
Working grant, The Finnish Music Foundation
Grant, Sibelius-Academy's Support Foundation
Grant, The Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation
2017
Working grant, Sibelius-Foundation of The Society of Finnish Composers
Martin Wegelius Award
Selected to Ung Nordisk Musik Festival
Selected to ULYSSES Journeys for composers
2015-
2018
Scholarship, YAMAHA Music Foundation
2010
Ataka Award