Joel Järventausta (b. 1995) is a Finnish composer starting his PhD in Composition under the supervision of Sir Prof. George Benjamin at King's College London in October 2018. Joel holds a Masters in Composition with 1st class Distinction from the Royal College of Music where he was a fully supported Scholar. He also holds BA in Music with 1st class honours from from the University of York. Joel has also completed an Erasmus exchange at the Sibelius Academy in Finland, studying under Prof. Veli-Matti Puumala. In the past he has studied under Dr. Dai Fujikura, Dr. Martin Suckling, Prof. Roger Marsh and Dr. John Stringer, also receiving tuition from Dr. Gilbert Nouno, Colin Matthews, Michael Gandolfi and Oliver Knussen. Most recently, together with four other Finnish composers (Lauri Supponen, Niilo Tarnanen, Matilda Seppälä, Touko Niemi), Joel has been commissioned to co-write a piece for Esa-Pekka Salonen's 60th birthday concert, opening the Helsinki Festival. The work will be performed by the Finnish National Opera orchestra and chorus, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen in August 2018. Joel is a current participant in London Symphony Orchestra's Panufnik Scheme 2018. Previously, Stonewalls for chamber orchestra received 3rd Prize in Royal Northern Sinfonia's Composition Competition 2017 and Cantus received a performance by the RCM Philharmonic under the baton of Martin André, as the winner of the RCM Concerto Competition. Joel also participated in the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme Composition Course 2017 which culminated into a performance at Aldeburgh Festival 2018. Cantus was recently chosen for a performance at the UNM Festival 2018 in Bergen (Norway) by the Bergen Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Racing thoughts for cello solo was awarded 2nd Prize in the London Ear Festival Composer's Competition 2016 and in 2015, Joel’s first orchestral piece 'stony mountains to rise' was chosen as a finalist in the PARMA Student Composer’s Competition and was published by PARMA Recordings in New Hampshire (USA). He also received the 2015 Chimera Undergraduate Commission and the 2016 Nicola LeFanu Composition Prize at the University of York. His works have been performed by the Royal Northern Sinfonia & Lars Vogt, Ulysses Network Ensemble & Jonathan Berman, Zafraan Ensemble, RCM Philharmonic & Martin André, violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved, Chimera Ensemble, Juice Vocal Ensemble, CoMA Singers, cellist Rohan de Saram, flautist Simon Desorgher, cellist Jari Piper, pianist Laura Farré Rozada and the Red Note Ensemble. His works so far have been performed in UK, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Alaska, USA. A selection of Joel's works are published by Berlin-based publishing house Verlag Neue Musik. In 2016, Joel was granted a membership as one the youngest ever members of the the Society of Finnish Composers (Suomen Säveltäjät ry).