Pauliina Haustein, DMus

Cellist | Classical Improviser | pedagogue

Pauliina Haustein, DMus, is a cellist, classical improviser and pedagogue. Initially with a decade of traditional cellist performance experience, following her studies at Sibelius-Academy, Uniarts Helsinki, Haustein played her way across the world, from her native Finland to Central Europe and the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and back, before redirecting her artistic ambition towards classical improvisation performance. At age 30, an encounter with world-leading classical improvisation Professor, pianist David Dolan (Guildhall School of Music & Drama and The Yehudi Menuhin School) led her to redirect her artistic ambition, leave orchestra and teaching positions, and follow the invitation to embark on an artistic performance doctorate in London in 2016. At the Guildhall School she was taught by some of the best classical improvisers in the world, including cellist Adrian Brendel and pianist Robert Levin. Under supervision of David Dolan and John Sloboda, and funded by Finnish Kone and Wihuri foundations, Haustein designed and conducted a performance doctorate project re-integrating improvisatory elements to practice and performance of repertoire concerts and examining the related performer-audience interaction. The concert model from her doctorate work combines solo & ensemble classical repertoire with improvisatory elements, including taking themes from the audience and creating improvisations on them - and has been enthusiastically received by audiences and musicians across Europe.

Since being awarded her DMus in 2022, Haustein has become a sought-after improvising performer and pedagogue, invited regularly give workshops and master classes at, for example, Hochschule der Künste Bern, Zürich Hochschule der Künste, Sibelius-Academy, Uniarts Helsinki, the San Marino Summer Festival and International Crescendo Summer Institute, Hungary, as well as various music schools in the Basel region. With a unique combination of orchestral experience and classical improvisation expertise, Haustein has continued to develop strategies for structural and stylistic improvisation specifically for ensemble & orchestral formats. In season 2024-25 collaborative projects include sharing her method as guest artist through workshops and co-performance with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra.

As featured in the classical music magazine “Rondo” (10/22, Finland), Haustein’s method combines world-class professional orchestra experience with a pedagogical path of re-introducing classical improvisation skills to existing professional musicianship – something that has, until recent years, been limited typically to the domain of alone-playing pianists or virtuoso soloists. As part of the growing movement advocating for classical improvisation to return to concert halls and conservatory education, Haustein continues to document her unique practice through academic writing, with book chapters awaiting publication in two different volumes (expected 2025 and 2026), as well as actively engaging in the artistic research community through annual conference presentations and academic collaborations.

In 2018 Haustein became mother to twin girls and has found her improvisation training to be put to excellent use in this role as well. She resides with her family in a little German Black Forest village across the border to Basel, Switzerland.