MY STORY
BIOGRAPHY
Mieke Johannna Doezema is a composer, scholar, and educator whose work bridges music, movement, and cultural inquiry. Rooted in New Mexico’s high desert and shaped by advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, her compositions often explore geographical landscapes and psychological themes of trauma, healing, and accountability. Doezema’s recent work draws on scholarly research in Muay Thai and Capoeira, investigating rhythmic movement and synthesis between martial arts and music.
Doezema is a swiss-army-knife professional, having experience teaching music in K–12 and higher education from middle school orchestra to undergraduate music theory. From 2021–2023, she taught in Washington’s Northshore School District while composing under the mentorship of Reena Esmail and participating in compositional programs and festivals across the globe such as Composing in the Wilderness, Seattle Opera’s Creation Lab, and the Mostly Modern Festival in the Netherlands. Doezema holds a BMus in music composition and education from Western Washington University and MM in music composition from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where she now pursues a master’s in ethnomusicology, continuing her exploration of intercultural and embodied approaches to music.
BEHIND THE MUSIC OF MIEKE J DOEZEMA
A Platform for Change
Empirical and often vulnerable, Doezema's work examines the world around her by exploring physical and emotional spaces that ultimately grapple with questions of morality. Her music ranges from raw poignancy to candid charm through exploration of the adversities and hidden beauties of modern life, woven with musical themes and stories that aim to elicit a sharpened sense of social responsibility and wonder for the natural world.
As an educator and advocate, her focus is often on social and societal issues that affect the lives around her. In her work, she aims to give a voice back to those who have been silenced and challenge systemic oppression and inequality.