Musical Composition in Finnish Music Education

Since the mid-20th century, Finnish music education has journeyed from (mostly) singing hymns and patriotic songs in post-war era schools to the active and diverse music education of today. Music is a compulsory subject in comprehensive schools (students aged seven to 16 years old) and all children receive (a minimum of) one 45- minute lesson a week in grades one through seven.

In grades eight and nine students may choose music as an optional subject. In addition to this minimum amount of music instruction, primary schools may offer additional lessons weekly. In primary schools (grades one through six), music is most often taught by the classroom teacher (who holds a master’s degree in general education), while in the lower secondary school (grades seven through nine) and upper secondary school (students aged 16 to 19 years old) music is taught by a specialized music subject teacher (who holds a master’s degree in music education).

In Finland, the Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic Education provides a common basis for school teaching in grades one through nine, although the core curriculum leaves plenty of autonomy for teachers to decide upon the contents and pedagogical approaches used in their teaching practice. According to the core curriculum, the aim of music as a school subject is “to create opportunities for versatile musical activities and active cultural participation” (FNAE, 2016a, p. 453).

Teachers are therefore encouraged to provide rich and relevant activities for heterogeneous groups of students with various needs. Although the core curriculum does not require any particular musical style or genre to be included in general music education, the significance of popular music in education has already been apparent for quite some time (see, e.g., Westerlund, 2006; Vakeva, 2006). A typical music classroom in Finland is equipped with a drum kit, electric bass, guitars, keyboards, microphones, and other music technology, and music teachers are educated to offer students opportunities to explore diverse musical landscapes without drawing strict lines between classical, folk, or popular musics.

The teaching methods and classroom activities also vary from one situation to another. As highlighted in a study conducted with experienced music teachers working in primary and lower secondary schools in Finland, both the curricula and the music educators’ own articulations of their pedagogical practices are very much characterized by a higher ethos of versatility (Muukkonen, 2010). This ethos manifests in the multiplicity of educational approaches as well as musical styles and activities used in school music instruction. Musical skills, knowledge, and concepts are typically learned through numerous activities, such as singing, playing instruments, moving and listening to music, composing and improvising, interacting exercises, building one’s own musical instruments, and attending concerts and other arts events (Partti, 2016).