About me

Hi! My name is Pilar Miralles and I was born in Almería (Spain) in 1997. I am a composer and researcher based in Helsinki (Finland). I speak Spanish, English, and a decent French. You can find my artist statement and short bio in the home page.

Education

• Doctoral candidate, Arts Study Programme, at DocMus Doctoral School of the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki (Finland, ongoing)
• Preparatory doctoral student at DocMus Doctoral School of the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki (Finland, 2024)
• Master of Music in Composition at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki (Finland, 2022)
• Master’s Degree in Electroacoustic Composition at "Centro Superior Katarina Gurska” of Madrid (Spain, 2020)
• Bachelor’s Degree in Composition at the Royal Higher Conservatory of Music “Victoria Eugenia” of Granada (Spain, 2019)

Ongoing research

As a doctoral candidate at DocMus, I do artistic research, meaning that my artistic practice, which is composing, is the main object of research, both as a methodological tool and as a research outcome in itself. In my ongoing research project, I aim to question the value of action and rethink the meaning of rest by developing a composition practice based on inactivity. This responds to a societal context of productive overload and permanent availability, in which the creation of spaces to linger over sound allows a reflection on time (and its disregard). The artistic output of the project consists of three new compositions that will be publicly premiered at the Helsinki Music Center, and which will act as case studies of my doctoral dissertation.

Some more biographical stuff

My instrumental work has been internationally premiered by ensembles and orchestras, such as the Île-de-France National Orchestra, Orchester im Treppenhaus, Defunensemble, Vertixe Sonora, Ensemble Ascolta or Norrbotten NEO. On the other hand, my electroacoustic work has been developed at the Nordplus intensive course IMMEDIA 2021 in Vilnius (Lithuania), the MuteFest ’20 and ’22 at the Sibelius Academy (Finland), or the Festival of Contemporary Art of Granada’s University 2021 in collaboration with composer and researcher José López-Montes (Spain). I have participated in other important new music festivals in Europe such as Musiikin aika (Time of Music) 2023 in Viitasaari (Finland), the Academy of ManiFeste 2022 at the IRCAM in Paris (France), or the VI VANG series of CentroCentro in Madrid (Spain). My most recent recognition was the First Prize of the Young Composers Award organized by SGAE-CNDM in Madrid (November 2023), thanks to which I am the current resident composer of the Spanish Musical Youth Network (JME) for the 2024/25 season. I also collaborate as a co-teacher of the SuperCollider programming workshop organized by the Music Technology department of the Sibelius Academy since 2023. During 2023-24, I have been invited by the Ulysses Network to join the Ulysses Journeys for Young Composers, attending composition courses in Viitasaari, Hamburg, and Barcelona, and during September 2024, I participated in the program Spanish Young Music Talents organized by SPAIN Arts & Culture, participating in composition seminars and premieres at Georgia Tech University (Atlanta), the University of Georgia (Athens), and the Spanish Cultural Center (Washington DC). Lastly, from time to time, I dust off my extra-official text-based work (the so-called book), my flute, and my collage notebook.