Johanna Grüssner (born 1972) is an

Åland Åland ( , ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland. Receiving its autonomy by a 1920 decision of the League of Nations, it is the smallest region of Finland by both area () and population (30,54 ...

jazz singer, teacher and musician. Her journery to take a choir of schoolchildren from the Bronx to sing in her home of

became the subject of a book entitled ''Seven Days of Possibilities.'' She formed the Nordic Music Council Prize- nominated trio, Ulvens Döttrar, with her sisters; in 2019 she was also nominated for the award as a solo artist.

Career

Grüssner studied at

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

in Boston, graduating in 1996. In 1998 she earned a master's degree in jazz singing at the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music a ...

. In the USA, she lived, studied and worked as a teacher in Public School 86 in the Bronx, for a total of eight years. The 24-strong choir of eleven year-olds she coached while working in the Bronx travelled to

. The trip became the subject of a book entitled ''Seven Days of Possibilities'' Anemona Hartocollis. In 2001 she returned to Scandinavia to live in Stockholm. In 2003 she was the vocalist for a record of original songs that feature in the Moomin books; these were composed and arranged by Mika Pohjola. They also collaborated on a recording of the folk tune '' Fjäriln vingad syns på Haga,'' in a medley with " Glimmande nymf" on their song album ''Nu blir sommar'' in 2006. With her two sisters, Ella and Isabella, Grüssner formed the trio Ulvens Döttrar. Most of the trio's work is composed by Ella, with lyrics by Isabella, whilst Grüssner works on arrangements. In 2019 she was nominated for the Nordic Music Council Prize due to her "broad musicality and her production and conducting skills, as well as her ability to involve amateurs and professionals alike in her performances". Previously, in 2009, Ulvens Döttrar had been also nominated for the award.

Personal life

Grüssner is married with two children. She has muscular dystrophy. Her grandmother and her family were sent to

Lempäälä Lempäälä () is a municipality in Finland, located in the Pirkanmaa region. It lies south of the regional capital, Tampere. The population of Lempäälä is approximately , while the Tampere metropolitan area, metropolitan area has a population ...

as prisoners of war.

Selected discography

* ''No More Blues'' - 2000, Naxos * ''Moomin Voices'' (vocalist) - 2003 * Johanna Grüssner, Torsten Tiebout, Patrick Wingren, Marcus Söderström & Wegeliuskvartetten: ''Sagans Värld -'' 2014, Wonderland

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grussner, Johanna Living people 1972 births 21st-century Finnish singers Swedish-speaking Finns People from Åland Berklee College of Music alumni Finnish jazz singers Finnish women jazz singers Finnish music educators Finnish women music educators Manhattan School of Music alumni