Who is Elle?😯

I think a little presentation in my part is in order, so here are a couple of quick facts about me.😉

• I was born in Helsinki, Finland, but currently I'm living in Paris, France, as an exchange student at the Sorbonne university for the spring semester of 2024.

• In July 2023, I completed my Bachelor's degree in Art Studies at the University of Helsinki, specializing in musicology (or music research). Now I'm in my first year of my Master's degree, still specializing in musicology, but I'm taking art history classes at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne as optional courses.

• Raised by two artists, I have an innate need to understand and enjoy the aesthetic side of life. My father is an art framer and painter with over 30 years of experience, and he has his own boutique and workshop in central Helsinki. My mother is a professional violinist currently working as the Concert Master in Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Vantaa Orchestra (which performs popular music repertoire). In other words, I grew up surrounded by lots of paintings, a mix of antique and contemporary furniture and sounds of my mom practicing the pieces of the current workweek – both 'antique' and contemporary pieces😜. Other than the appreciation for paintings and music, I inherited a love of dressing well and cozy home decoration from my parents. But basically my parents are much cooler than I am, and I constantly admire the expertise they have in their fields of interest.

• I've been learning French since my childhood (thanks to my parents putting me in a French kindergarten), and now that I live in Paris I notice myself becoming more and more 'Parisienne' by heart.

• Even though I've never found myself to be outgoing and skilled socially, I've always loved singing and performing. My repertoire consists of jazz standards, popular songs and evergreen hits from the 1930's to 60's. My ultimate dream is to sing my favorite evergreens with a symphony orchestra one day – I literally cannot fall asleep if I think about it before going to bed.😅

• I get tremendous joy out of learning, connecting the dots of a new subject with what I already know, having fun discussions about those subjects, and sharing what I've learned to others in an engaging and inspiring way. Driven by curiosity, I’m all about lifelong learning and personal development.

💯 My favourite icons

• Maria Callas

• Audrey Hepburn

• Barbra Streisand

• Caterina Valente

• Carolina Herrera

• Anne-Sophie Mutter

• Inès de la Fressange

Do you admire these icons too? If so, I must say you have good taste!😉 If you want, hit me an email at ellepalmu@gmail.com and tell me why you love them specifically.

🏅 Career highlights

• Nov 2016 – I started my public Instagram account as a hobby under the username @theurbanpalm.

• Jan 2023 – I created my personal website ellepalmu.com and started to develop a rough idea of my brand under the name of "Ellegance".

• Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 – I sent weekly newsletters that documented the process of writing my Bachelor's Thesis and what I learned concerning the concept of 'elegance'.

• Spring and Fall season of 2023 – I performed as a vocal soloist in the HOS big band with repertoire ranging from swing standards to disco classics.

• Jun 2024 – I created this website for my refreshed personal brand that focuses on the skills and habits that help us lead a more stylish life.

🕺 Other work experience

• Shop assistant – I've been working at my father's art framing shop since my early teens. While selling paintings and home decoration items, I've learned important client service skills in such a special field.

• Substitute teacher – After my own graduation, I had a rare opportunity to gain experience in teaching at my old school. I taught mostly Finnish and some other subjects that I had done well in to pupils from 8–18 years old.

• Production assistant – I got to test the waters in the world of marketing and advertising for a couple of months at the hybrid agency Nitro in 2018.

• Production assistant – For two summers (2022–2023), I learned a lot about the production of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra's Summer Sounds festival that takes place in Porvoo, Finland. My tasks ranged from very practical and logistical tasks to more creative and challenging ones. Aside from the pre- and post-production phase, I enjoyed the festival's atmosphere and taking care of the musicians as well as the international guest conductors, soloists and composers.

• Freelance writer – I have the privilege to write different conductors' and soloists' presentations for the concert program leaflets at Lahti Symphony Orchestra. My first texts were included in the programs of the Spring and Fall seasons in 2023, and I'm pleased to say that I will continue this collaboration with the orchestra again in Fall 2024.

🇫🇮 My articles in other publications in Finnish

• Suomen etnomusikologisen seuran tieteellinen mielipidelehti Musiikin suunta, 1/2023, 45.vuosikerta. Laila Kinnusen tie jazztaituriksi – aloittelevan jazzlaulajan reflektioita Kinnusen jalanjäljillä

• Helsingin yliopiston musiikkitieteen ainejärjestölehti Synkooppi Op. 146. 2/2022. Artikkelini: Pari sanaa kauniista laulamisesta

• Helsingin yliopiston musiikkitieteen ainejärjestölehti Synkooppi Op. 145: Musiikki ja mieli. 1/2022. Artikkelini: Kuuntelen, siis kuvittelen

That's about it! I hope you feel like you know me a bit better now and I'm so excited to have you here!