CV
Mikko Karvonen
Born: 3rd of June 1978
Nationality: Finnish
LANGUAGES
Finnish (native)
English (fluent)
Catalan (good)
Spanish (good)
Swedish (satisfactory)
STUDIES
1998-2008 University of Helsinki – Department of Computer Science
M.Sc. degree in Computer Science (2008). Master’s thesis entitled Using Mathematical Morphology for Geometric Music Retrieval.
B.Sc. degree in Computer Science (2004). Dissertation on Digital Audio Signal Processing.
Specialising courses in Java programming, digital image processing, digital media technologies, XML, databases, computer networks and user interface design.
2003-2004 Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona – Music Technology Group
Taking courses (20 credits) of the PhD in Computer Science and Digital Communication programme as Minor subject studies.
2001-2003 Sibelius Academy, Helsinki – Centre for Music & Technology
Minor subject studies (42 credits) at the Centre for Music & Technology. Courses in for example digital audio signal processing, recording techniques, music production and sound design, working with Digidesign Pro Tools and programming VST audio plug-ins with the C++ language.
1994-1997 High school at Lyseonmäen lukio, Heinola, Finland
WORK HISTORY
2001- Crankshaft (owner)
Software and audio design for a few main clients. Crankshaft is currently focused on RIAs / Web 2.0 technologies using e.g. Flex/AS3, Java, PHP and AJAX, as well as in audio design for Web, DVD and other media presentations.
http://www.crankshaft.fi/
2008-2010 Sauma Technologies
First as the Lead Client Developer, later as a Senior Consultant. Working on a Massively Multi-Player Online War Game entitled “Hours of War”, as well as consulting and project managing external projects for Sauma’s clients. Flex, Java, PHP, JavaScript, younameit. Unfortunately the company went bankrupt, so I decided to go freelance for the time being.
http://www.saumatechnologies.com/
2008 Fake Graphics
Consultant in a software project.
http://www.fakegraphics.com/
2006-2008 Splice, Inc. (partner)
Working as a Flash ActionScript 2.0/3.0, Java and all-around developer in a Web 2.0 music creation community startup.
http://www.splicemusic.com/
2004-2005 Saima Sistemas
Working as a software developer with PHP 5, MySQL 5, XSLT and DHTML.
http://www.saimanet.net/
2003 Nomini Networks
Working as a Java developer in a large-scale portal / content management system project for “an expert agency in the field of social welfare and health care”.
2003 Turku Academy of Art
Working as an assistant lecturer for Andy Best, the director of the digital arts programme.
2003-2007 White Sheep
Working as a software developer and audio designer. The projects have spanned various technologies, such as PHP, Java, JavaScript/DHTML and XHTML/CSS. Experience also in technical planning and participating in project cost estimating and quotes.
http://www.whitesheep.fi/
1998-2003 Mindworks
Software and audio design and technical project management for various interactive websites, CD-ROM/DVDs, Web Casts and space media projects.
http://www.mindworks.fi/
http://www.tilamedia.com/
1997-1998 City of Helsinki, Cultural Office (non-military service)
Software design for various websites and working as a technical consultant.
http://kulttuuri.hel.fi/
ORGANISATIONS
1998- katastro.fi
Founding member and vice chair (1999-2000), chair (2003-2004) and a member of board (2004-) of the media art collective katastro.fi. Briefly after its founding in 1998, katastro.fi received the Young Art in Finland award, worth 100 000 FIM (~16820 €), from the Finnish Ministry of Culture and Education for combining technology with artistic expression and popular culture.
http://www.katastro.fi/
PUBLICATIONS
Mikko Karvonen, Mika Laitinen, Kjell Lemström, and Juho Vikman: Error-Tolerant Content-Based Music-Retrieval with Mathematical Morphology. In Computer Music Modeling and Retrieval. Exploring Music Contents : 7th International Symposium, CMMR 2010; revised papers, volume 6684 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 321-327. Springer Verlag, 2011.
Mikko Karvonen, Mika Laitinen, Kjell Lemström and Juho Vikman: Applying Mathematical Morphology for Content-Based Music Retrieval. In Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Computer Music Modeling and Retrieval (CMMR 2010), Málaga, Spain, June 2010.
Mikko Karvonen and Kjell Lemström: Using Mathematical Morphology for Geometric Music Retrieval. In International Workshop on Machine Learning and Music (MML’08), Helsinki, Finland, July 9, 2008.
http://www.iua.upf.edu/~rramirez/MML08/abstracts.pdf
AWARDS
2005 SCENE.ORG AWARD: BEST SOUNDTRACK 2005
Received a demo scene award for the best demo soundtrack in 2005 with my song Ocean Machine.
http://awards.scene.org/archive.php?cat=5&year=2005
2004 GRAND ONE
Winner in the “Best B-to-B campaign” category in the biggest Finnish digimedia competition with Biz in a BOX for Capgemini and Microsoft Nordic. Involvement in the project: Software design.
2003 AVEK grant
Received a grant from AVEK The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture for my song Teonanácatl. The song was part of the katastro.fi demoscene exhibition in Kiasma, and the idea was to use only 8-bit samples from the original SoundTracker ST-01 sample disk.
2001 RE:spekt
3rd prize for the best campaign website category in Rekaksois.com‘s monthly award for the Helsinki ASE website for Capgemini. Involvement in the project: Audio production.
1999 Mindtrek’99 Honorary Mention
Awarded for katastro.fi media art collective’s website. Involvement: Founding member and vice chair in katastro.fi, website programming and content development.
1998 Young Art in Finland Award
Awarded for katastro.fi media art collective. Involvement: Founding member and vice chair.
EXHIBITIONS
2007 H.E.I.N.O.L.A. by Juha Fiilin & Elina Orpana, with a soundscape by Mikko Karvonen.
Barri Gòtic, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
2005 Fluxville by Simo Rouhiainen, with music by Mikko Karvonen.
Boston Cyberarts festival / Studio Soto, Boston, USA.
2005 Codename Chinadoll by katastro.fi, with music by Mikko Karvonen and Lassi Nikko.
KARELIA GAME EXPO, Joensuu, Finland.
2003 Codename Chinadoll by katastro.fi, with music by Mikko Karvonen and Lassi Nikko.
Dissonanze 2003, Rome, Italy.
2003 Teonanácatl by Mikko Karvonen.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.
2003 demoskene.katastro.fi by katastro.fi, with music by Mikko Karvonen.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.
2003 Codename Chinadoll by katastro.fi, with music by Mikko Karvonen and Lassi Nikko.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.
2002 Fluxville by Simo Rouhiainen, with music by Mikko Karvonen.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.
2002 Codename Chinadoll by katastro.fi, with music by Mikko Karvonen and Lassi Nikko.
Sónar 2002, Barcelona, Spain.
2000 KATASTRO.FI AREA by katastro.fi, with sound by Mikko Karvonen.
ArtGenda, VR Makasiinit, Helsinki, Finland.
2000 I traded my safety for the glass beads of fantasy by Anu Pennanen, with soundscape by Mikko Karvonen.
Gallery Just, Turku, Finland.
1999-2000 2000.katastro.fi by katastro.fi, with music by Mikko Karvonen and Lassi Nikko.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.
1998 IMAchannel by katastro.fi, with a VJ performance by Mikko Karvonen.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.