Finland is famous for her successful symphony orchestra conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen (London Philharmonia Orchestra) and Santtu-Matias Rouvali (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra). This is no surprise, because classical music teaching is common and highly valued.
Music institutes around the country train children in classical, pop, and rock music. There are both commercially run and non-profit institutes but usually they both follow the same curriculum in order to get subsidiary funding from the Ministry of Education and Culture. This is why music lessons are relatively cheap. Group teaching is common in younger age groups, but as the children grow they are often directed to apply for private lessons.
In recent years, the ministry has started to support other arts as well. At present, architecture, visual arts, handicraft, media, dance, thereat, circus, and even literature and writing skills are taught for children as well as adults in arts institutes supported by governmental funding.
Many people take arts classes. The only problem for foreigners is that all music and art institutes don’t have English websites. This makes them difficult to find. However, if you find them, the teachers are likely to be able to speak English. We recommend contacting the staff and asking for enrollment instructions. Art classes may be a good hobby for children who are still learning Finnish, too.
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The art schools usually take in all students regardless of their talent or previous experience. However, the schools may be so crowded that you need to queue for a placement. Make sure you enroll in time! Usually one can sign in for classes in May and remaining places will be available in August. Once you get a placement, you can keep it the years to come. New places open up only when old students quit.
Try searching for your city and “musiikkiopisto” or “musiikkikoulu” in order to find music lessons in your neighbourhood. The right word for googling visual arts is “taidekoulu” or “kuvataidekoulu”. Dancing can be found using the word “tanssikoulu” or “tanssiopisto”. For instance tanssikoulu DCA, Step Up, and Footlight are famous in the metropolitan region.
Here is a list of a few music schools that provide teaching in English or in other languages.
Good luck with the search!
Espoo:
- Espoo Music Origins
- Musiikkiopisto Avonia
- Musiikkiopisto Juvenalia
- Rytmimusiikkiopisto Tauko
- Sävelmetsä Music School and Music Therapy
- Jamkids
Helsinki:
- Up&Down Beats
- International School of Music Finland (also in Espoo)
- Keski-Helsingin Musiikkiopisto
- Pop & Jazz Conservatory
- Music School Demo (Metropolitan area and Lohja)
- Helsinki Music Adventures
Kauniainen:
Turku:
Oulu:
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