Introduction to Church Music 3/2027

Teacher

Nordell Risto

Risto Nordell (b. 1959) is a music and culture journalist for Yleisradio (Finnish Broadcasting Company), who has received several awards for his programs, including the Church Culture Award in 2015, the KOURA award from Yleisradio's cultural fund, and the Christian Media Act of the Year recognition in 2015. His life's purpose is music, and his quality-of-life enhancers include fishing, sailing, sourdough baking, and the sleet-ridden Archipelago Sea in November. Nordell graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Sibelius Academy in 1989. His major was singing, but to the audience's delight, he stopped singing 35 years ago. Risto Nordell is a sought-after lecturer and concert host. He has contributed to many magazines and currently writes about classical music and opera for Suomen Kuvalehti. Nordell's most well-known radio program is Riston Valinta (Risto's Choice), which he has hosted on Yle Radio 1 since 2007. In 2018, Nordell's debut book Riston Valinta – parasta mahdollista musiikkia vuoden matkalle (Risto's Choice – The Best Possible Music for a Year's Journey) was published (Kirjapaja).