During the past two decades, there has been a boom in the popularity of music

playschools in Finland. More and more Finnish parents want to put their children in
music playschools at younger and younger ages, even three months old at the
earliest. "Finns must love music very ardently" may be the first idea that comes into
mind. While this is certainly true, it is only part of the truth. Many other features are
also intertwined with early childhood music education.
The purpose of this paper is to analyse some aspects that contribute to the popularity
of music playschools in Finland. The aim is to show that the music playschool system
in Finland has many functions and serves many purposes, not all of which directly
relate to music education as such. Learning to appreciate music is considered
important, but it is not the only reason for why so many organisations offer music
education, or why parents decide to put their children into music playschools.
The paper will first explain what is meant by the term "music playschool". Then it will
introduce the music playschools in Tampere, the third largest city in Finland, in order
to give an overview of different organisations that offer early childhood music
education in Finland. Then it will describe the historical background of the music
playschool system and the education of music playschool teachers. It will also review
the purposes of early childhood music education, and the motives of the parents for
putting their children in music playschools. Finally, it will give some examples of ways
in which children's individual needs are paid attention to in Finnish music education.
What are music playschools in Finland?
The term "music playschool" (musiikkileikkikoulu in standard Finnish, muskari in
colloquial Finnish) refers to general music education for children under seven years
of age. Instruction is offered to small groups of children who are of approximately the
same age: the group size usually varies between 5-12 children. Children under three
years attend classes together with a parent. The duration of a class usually ranges
from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the age of the children and the school policy:
according to some schools, 45 minutes would be too long a time for babies and
toddlers, whereas other schools do not regard 45-minute classes as excessive
(Jrvinen).
The substance of the instruction naturally varies according to the age of the children,
but classes normally involve at least listening to music, singing, playing instruments,
playing games, and moving according to the rhythm of the music. Music playschool
teaching does not usually include individual instrument studies. However, in some
schools it is possible to take instrument lessons in groups of 2-3 children for an extra
fee (Musiikkileikkikoulu, Ryhmt). Some schools even offer individual lessons
(Tampere, Musiikki- ja tanssileikkikoulun ilmoittautumislomake).
However, the term "music playschool" is used rather loosely in Finland, which may
sometimes cause confusion. Early childhood music education is offered by several
types of organisations, not only institutions specialised in music education.
Furthermore, learning music may not always even be the primary goal of music
playschool activities: in many cases, such as in social work or music therapy, music
is used as a medium to gain some extra-musical end. Thus, the term music
playschool can be widely used even in contexts in which music instruction is tailored
to meet the needs of some special group. For example, health and social authorities
have organized music playschool groups for mothers and babies who live in difficult
social conditions, and who may even be in danger of being alienated from society,
and the results have been promising (Stakes, Arviointi). There has also been a lot of
discussion in the Music Playschool Teachers' Association about applying music
playschool activities to social work (Jrvinen).
Such applications of music education are not considered to be a marginal
phenomenon that is only remotely associated with music playschools. On the
contrary, they are regarded as a very important part of music education. "Who would
need the healing power of music, if not children with problems?"
1
asks Marika
Jrvinen, a music playschool teacher at Tampere Conservatoire
2
(Jrvinen).
Music playschools in Tampere
Tampere is the third largest city in Finland, with approximately 200,000 inhabitants.
The following overview of the music playschools in Tampere gives some idea of the
variety of institutions that offer early childhood music education. Schools usually take
children in the order in which applications are received; very often all applicants are
accepted, at least if parents are ready to participate in any group available in the
curriculum. At least the Conservatoire and the Evangelical Lutheran Parishes in
Tampere seek to establish as many groups as necessary (Stel). Most schools
have groups for three- or five-month-old babies up to six-year-old children. Tuition
fees range from approximately 100 euros to 500 euros per year.
Tampere Conservatoire (in Finnish Tampereen konservatorio) is a government-
subsidized music institution that gives instruction in four districts in Tampere, in the
centre of the town as well as in the suburbs (Tampere).
Pirkanmaa Music Institute (Pirkanmaan musiikkiopisto) is a government-subsidized
music institution owned by Tampere YMCA (Pirkanmaa, Music). There are music
playschool groups in five different locations in the Tampere region (Pirkanmaa,
Musiikkileikkikoulu).
The Evangelical Lutheran Parishes in Tampere provide a multitude of activities for
children of all ages. They are popular even among families who do not take part in
other activities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church: in the year 2000, 45% of all four-
to six-year-old children in Finland attended playgroups organized by the Church
(Salonen). There are 11 parishes in Tampere, and there are music playschool groups
in 10 places across the town (Evangelical).
The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (Mannerheimin lastensuojeluliitto) is
the largest child welfare organization in Finland, with more than 95,000 members and
564 local associations throughout the country (Mannerheim, General). In the local
association of Tampere, there are music playschool groups for babies and three- to
six-year-old children (Mannerheim, Musiikkileikkikoulutoiminta).
The Adult Education Centre of the City of Tampere (Tampereen tyvenopisto)
primarily provides non-formal general interest courses for adults, but there are
numerous activities for children as well: its music playschool groups are for children
up to four years of age (Adult).
The Adult Education Centre of the Ahjola Settlement (Ahjolan kansalaisopisto) is
part of the Finnish Federation of Settlements. Originally, the aim of settlement work
was to promote the values of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; today, the activities of
the Finnish settlements are no longer religiously oriented. Activities include an adult
education centre, child and youth work, a day-care centre, various free time activities
for adults, and community work (Ahjola Settlement). Ahjola offers two specialities in
the field of music education that are worth mentioning: a multi-cultural music
playschool group for immigrants, one purpose of which is learning Finnish, and
groups emphasizing ethnic music (Ahjola, Kansalaisopiston ohjelma).
There are also private music playschools in Tampere: Maija Salo's Music Playschool
(Maija Salon musiikkileikkikoulu), Appasionato, and Suzuki Music School
(Tampereen Suzukikoulu). A common factor is that they are not subsidized by the
state or the City of Tampere, so they are considerably more expensive than
subsidized music playschools: approximately 300-500 euros per year.
Development of the music playschool system in Finland
Only a few decades ago, early childhood music education was not generally
considered to be important (Musiikkikoulu, Maija). To a great extent, the music
playschool system in Finland, including study programmes for teachers, is due to a
few strong women who did the pioneer work. The first music playschool in Finland
was established by Sinikka Valkola-Laine in Helsinki in 1958 (Leppaho). Valkola-
Laine created a model that worked well, and her model set an example that many
others followed later on (Pirhonen). Ritva Ollaranta established the music playschool
in the East Helsinki Music Institute in 1965. She also started music playschool
teachers' education in the Helsinki Conservatory of Music in the 1980s (Stadia,
Ritva). The first courses for music playschool teachers at the Sibelius Academy
started in the 1970s at the initiative of Ellen Urho, the rector of Sibelius Academy at
that time, and Maisa Krokfors (Leppaho). Soili Perki has composed a lot of music
for music playschools. Perki is currently the Head of Department in the Department
of Music Education at the Sibelius Academy. Music playschool teacher Ritva
Mustonen-Laurila was also one of the pioneers (Musiikkikoulu, Historia).
Many music teachers were particularly inspired by Zoltn Kodly's new ideas of
music education. In the 1960s there was a major reform of music education in
Hungary due to Kodly. Finland has traditionally had strong cultural ties to Hungary,
because Finnish and Hungarian belong to the same language family. So, news from
Hungary reached Finland rather quickly, and many Finnish music teachers went to
Hungary to study the Kodly method (Musiikkikoulu, Historia). Many Hungarian
musicians and music pedagogues also came to Finland. Some of them, such as
Gza and Csaba Szilvay, have become key figures in Finnish music education
(East).
Nowadays, the Kodly method is not the predominant method anymore, because
music teachers have become more familiar with other methods and philosophies as
well. But the Kodly philosophy still affects the point of view that many Finnish music
educators have. Kodly's basic principles were as follows:
Music is a prime necessity of life.
Only music of the highest quality is good enough for children.
Music education must begin nine months before the birth of the child.
Music instruction must be a part of general education for everyone.
The ear, the eye, the hand, and the heart must all be trained together. (IKS)
Different methods do not, however, exclude each other. They have different
approaches to teaching music, and they emphasize different things: for example,
Kodly emphasizes singing and purity of tone, Orff playing instruments, Suzuki
listening, and Dalcroze learning by moving. Therefore, all of them have something to
give, and they can be used together (Stel).
Music playschool teachers' education
Music playschool teachers' education started at the Sibelius Academy in 1971. At
that time, the Sibelius Academy gave only short-term supplementary courses for
music teachers. At the secondary level, at conservatories, education started in 1987
(Leppaho). Gradually the study programmes were extended to their present
comprehensiveness, so that the first music playschool teachers who had undergone
a four-year study programme graduated in 1991 (Jrvinen).
The organization of music playschool teachers was also an important step, because
there were no ready-made models nor any teaching material available. Teachers
started to get together informally in the 1960s in order to share new ideas (Pirhonen),
and the Music Playschool Teachers' Association was founded in 1979 (Music).
Nowadays music playschool teachers graduate from the polytechnics of Helsinki,
Lahti, and Jyvskyl. The graduates receive a diploma of "musiikkipedagogi
(AMK)", which is "music pedagogue" in English. [AMK is the abbreviation for
ammattikorkeakoulu, i.e. "polytechnic" in Finnish.] The polytechnic degrees are
equivalent to a Bachelor's degree (Stadia). The graduates are qualified to be
appointed to posts at music institutions. Studies take approximately four and a half
years (Lahti). In the Sibelius Academy it is also possible to specialise in early
childhood music education. Those who graduate from the Sibelius Academy have a
Master of Music degree (Sibelius).
The purpose of early childhood music education
When the first music playschools were established, they still were relatively
performance-oriented. However, the tendency during the development of music
playschools has been to move away from performance orientation towards a more
holistic view of music education (Pirhonen). The main purpose of music education is
to support the development of a child's personality and self-expression as a whole,
not to make children little musicians on the terms of adults. Music can help broaden a
child's personality; for example, it can encourage a child who is quiet and shy, and
help a restless child to calm down and concentrate (Lamponen 45).
Especially with infants under three years of age, connecting the family members and
strengthening the bond between parent and child is also regarded as being
important, as well as encouraging parents to play and sing together with their children
(Stakes, Tavoitteet).
From the music institutions' point of view, music playschools do a valuable job laying
the groundwork for music studies. Fewer children apply to music schools every year.
So, music institutions have noticed that it is in their own interest to support early
childhood music education. For example, approximately 70-80% of the children who
start instrument studies at the Tampere Conservatoire come from the institution's
own music playschool, and the remaining 20-30% have usually gone to some other
music playschool (Jrvinen).
The motives of the parents
In Finland, there is nowadays a rather strong tendency to organize all sorts of
activities for children, because a wide range of stimuli is considered to be important
for children's optimal development. This tendency shows not only in the popularity of
music playschools, but also in structuring children's time in general. Children
participate in all kinds of organized activities more than before. One reason for this is
that nowadays learning concrete skills is valued more in our culture than free playing
(Lasten).
In addition to this, Finnish mothers taking care of children at home are often lonely,
because most friends and neighbours have full-time jobs outside the home, and
grandparents and other relatives may live far away. Most mothers do not have such a
natural social support network around them as mothers used to have. Nowadays,
mothers have usually gone to work before they have started having children, and
they miss the company of other adults, especially those who are in a similar situation
in life. In music playschools mothers can meet other parents who have children of the
same age. Even music playschool teachers themselves often attend music classes
with their babies for social contacts (Stel).
Sometimes parents are very interested in music, but they are so insecure about their
own musical skills that they may even be afraid of making their children unmusical, if
they cannot sing in tune. At music playschools parents themselves gain more
courage to sing to their children, which can be very therapeutic for the parents and
children love their parents' voices no matter how rough they may be (Stel).
Focus on a child's best interests
"Music instruction is for everyone" was one of Kodly's most important principles,
and that is the underlying idea in the music education in Finland as well. All children
should have the right to get music education. It should not be reserved just for the
particularly talented or otherwise privileged. Usually schools take children in the order
in which applications are received. Many schools try to establish enough groups so
that all applicants can be taken. Searching for talent is not considered as a primary
function of music playschools, and children's musical skills are not tested (Jrvinen,
Stel).
It is also important to operate on the children's terms, respect their individuality and
have reasonable expectations. For example, especially 2-year-old children are often
shy and do not do much during the classes. Some children are known among
teachers as "recorders": Such children do not do practically anything in class. As a
matter of fact, they may absolutely refuse to take part in anything, but they listen and
watch everything very carefully. Parents are sometimes almost desperate; it may
seem useless to bring the child to the classes, but teachers usually tell them to be
patient. It may take a while, but usually sooner or later children will start to discharge
what they have recorded. Some children may never start doing anything during the
classes, but they may sing and play at home all the time. Teachers encourage
parents to continue even if it does not seem to make much sense to the parents: if
the child learns new things in classes, and sings and plays at least at home, coming
to classes is worthwhile.
At the age of three children begin to go to classes without a parent. Usually children
who have had the same teacher before do not find the change very difficult. For new
children in the group it takes more time to adjust. Many schools allow parents to
come along and stay in the same room during the classes until their children are
ready to be left alone.
Are there children who would not want to go to music playschools? This seems to be
relatively rare. The great majority of children like singing and playing. However, in
some cases, a child is obviously scared of or discontented with something every time
she comes to a class. If teachers and parents do not find out the reason for her
behaviour, and if the situation does not improve, teachers have to propose to parents
that it would be better to give up for the time being and maybe try again the following
year (Jrvinen). With older children it may sometimes be more complex. They do not
express themselves so openly and directly anymore, so it is more difficult to know
whether a child likes attending the classes or not (Stel).
Some children may be so hyperactive that they do not fit in with the group. Such
situations are delicate, and a teacher has to be skilful in order to handle them. It is
not always easy to find out whether the child has some developmental disorder that
would need treatment, or whether the child's behaviour relates only to the music
classes: the child may not behave in the same way at home and in day care, and the
child's parents may be genuinely surprised when they are told that their child is out of
control at the music playschool. However, with few exceptions, things usually clear
up after discussions between the teacher and the child's parents (Jrvinen).
Why are music playschools so popular in Finland?
In only a few decades, the music playschool system in Finland has become so
established that an increasing number of parents want their children to go to music
classes as a matter of course. Parents naturally hope that their children would learn
musical skills and grow to love music, but there are also many other factors that
affect their decision. The parents themselves want to learn new songs and games,
and especially if they take care of their children at home, they want to meet other
adults. Parents also hope that their children will acquire social skills in a group. Music
playschools are generally considered to be a fun way of being together: children are
respected, and music playschools operate with the children's best interests in mind.
The threshold for participating is low: There are music playschools across the whole
country, and at least in the biggest towns there are several options, organized by
many different institutions. For most people, music playschools are not too expensive
either. In addition, the quality of music education is high, because teachers are well
educated.
As a result of all this, many children in Finland are starting to get music education at
an early age. Perhaps paradoxically, particularly talented children are also being
detected earlier, even if searching for talent is not considered as a primary function of
the music playschools. Overall, the music playschool system offers many benefits to
both children and their parents as well as to Finnish culture and society as a whole.

Notes