Studying at a music college

Children can start lea ing to play the piano from around the age of five at the earliest, by which time their fingers are large enough and their concentration is sufficient for lea ing. Of course, they can start much later too. The younger the child, the more help they will need with practising at home. Playing an instrument requires perseverance from the child so that they can keep up with regular practice.

Second-hand acoustic pianos cost from €100 upwards. You can find decent instruments at very reasonable prices. Teachers and piano tuners can help you find an instrument. New acoustic pianos start at €4,000, depending on the model and brand. Electric pianos cost between €400 and €5,000. The cheapest electric pianos do not match the feel of an acoustic piano, so an acoustic piano is always the better and more durable choice. However, electric pianos are also suitable, provided they have a pedal.

Children can start lea ing the violin as early as around the age of 4, provided their ability to concentrate and their fine motor skills are sufficiently developed. Often, children start lea ing the violin between the ages of 6 and 9. Of course, there is nothing to stop you from starting lessons at an older age. The younger the child, the more help they will need with practising at home. Playing an instrument requires perseverance from the child so that they can keep up with regular practice.

A violin of the right size is chosen according to the student’s height. Instruments come in a wide range of sizes, so there is certainly a suitable instrument for everyone. All music shops sell violins suitable for children. I’m happy to help you find an instrument. A good new violin costs around 500–600 euros. Prices for second-hand violins in good condition are around €200–400, so the cost of the instrument is not usually a barrier to taking up the hobby.

The cello belongs to the same family of string instruments as the violin, but is larger and has a lower pitch. The instrument is played whilst seated. The cello is a versatile instrument. It is an essential part of classical orchestral and chamber music, but is also widely used in lighter music due to its rich, beautiful tone. In addition to ensemble playing, the cello is also frequently used in solo music.

Cellos come in a range of sizes (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 4/4), so even young players can find an instrument that fits them. The music school rents out instruments of various sizes for its students to use, but you can of course also buy one. A good starter instrument costs around €400–1,000. Teachers are happy to help with purchasing an instrument.

You can start lea ing to play the cello from around the age of 6 or older. A good ear and good motor skills are an advantage when playing the cello, but the most important thing is the pupil’s own enthusiasm for playing. Playing music requires patience and regular practice at home. Parents’ support and encouragement play a vital role, particularly in the early stages of lea ing to play.

In principle, you can start playing the bassoon as soon as your hands can reach the near end of the fingerboard on the smallest instruments available. In practice, however, it is usually beneficial to start with a slightly lighter instrument to develop basic motor skills, and then switch to the bassoon later on. The ideal age to start playing the bassoon is between 9 and 15 years old, but it is not wrong to start earlier, nor is it too late to start later.

A double bass is a bigger investment than an electric bass, but the latter requires an amplifier and other bits and bobs. Depending on the size, double basses start from a few hundred euros upwards, whilst an electric bass with the necessary accessories costs around €300 at the cheapest, though it is usually wise to invest a little more.

It’s worth investing in an instrument – a good, user-friendly instrument will boost your motivation to practise. Your teacher will help you find the right instrument. Oh, and what do you play in the lessons? On the bass, probably just ‘boom-boom’…? That too, but the bass is a versatile instrument that can do just about anything.

You can start playing the guitar at school age, and of course later in life too. A beginner’s instrument costs around €100–200, so taking up the hobby is quite affordable.

The guitar requires a certain amount of patience from the player in the early stages, but the basics are usually picked up quite quickly. You can play many different styles of music on the guitar, and there are various types of guitar, such as acoustic and electric guitars.

The guitar is a popular instrument that’s also easy to carry around, as it’s suitable for both accompaniment and melody playing. Once you start playing the guitar, it’s often hard to stop!

There’s no wrong time or age to start playing in a band. It’s an advantage if you can play two or three tunes on your instrument, and you’ll lea a few more in the band.

You can, of course, start playing in a band without any prior experience on any instrument; the most important thing is that you own the instrument in question, and that you are able and willing to practise it regularly outside of band rehearsals; above all, what matters is your enthusiasm for music and playing in a band. Playing in a band is also a great way to pick up skills on other instruments.

At band rehearsals, we play a wide variety of music: classics from Finland and abroad, as well as the coolest new releases from across the globe and across genres.

The ideal age to start playing the flute is around 8–12 years old, when the fingers can reach the holes and the pupil has the stamina to play slightly longer notes. At the beginning, you can play using a U-shaped mouthpiece or a children’s flute, where reaching the holes has been made as easy as possible. Gradually, you will move on to playing a standard transverse flute.

The flute is a transverse wind instrument, and producing sound requires a great deal of breath at first. Developing one’s playing technique requires regular practice.

You can either hire your first flute or buy an affordable student flute, which can be found second-hand from around €100. Higher-quality student flutes cost around €400–600 new and around €250–350 second-hand.

The clarinet is a versatile woodwind instrument capable of producing a bright and agile sound when required, as well as a warm and mellow tone in the lower register. The sound of the clarinet is produced by a reed attached to the mouthpiece. The instrument is suitable for a wide range of music, from folk music, jazz and rock to classical music. In a wind orchestra, the clarinet is given both solo parts and accompaniment roles. The clarinet is also enjoyable to play in a small ensemble of two or three players or with piano accompaniment.

You can start playing the clarinet as early as 7–9 years old, but it’s never too late to take it up later in life. No specific physical attributes are required, provided you have your permanent front teeth and your hands are large enough.

A plastic clarinet is a good choice for beginners, and you can hire one. Once you’ve progressed further, you can buy your own wooden clarinet (costing around €500–1,000).

The saxophone is a woodwind instrument made of metal, which, like the clarinet, produces sound through a reed. The instrument plays a key role in jazz ensembles and big bands, and its most common variants—the alto and tenor saxophones—are also part of the wind section in a symphony orchestra.

You can start lea ing to play the saxophone on an alto saxophone at around the age of 9, provided you can hold the instrument and your fingers are long enough. The tenor saxophone is larger and heavier, so it requires a slightly more experienced player (starting age around 11–13 years).

You can also switch to the saxophone once you have lea t the basics of breathing technique and fingering on either the recorder, the flute or the clarinet. You can just as easily start playing as a teenager or even as an adult. The saxophone’s rough and powerful sound appeals to many, but it can also produce high and clear tones. Indeed, the saxophone is now one of the most popular and widely played instruments.

You can get a feel for playing by starting with a hire instrument; you can buy your own later. New saxophones cost around €500–700, but a slightly used saxophone (e.g. Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Buffet or Selmer) can be more affordable and still a perfectly good option.

The recommended age to start playing brass instruments is between 8 and 12 years old, but not until the permanent teeth in the upper and lower jaws have fully erupted following the loss of the milk teeth. Practising any brass instrument requires regular daily practice and, especially in the early stages, particular patience as one experiments with the mouthpiece to find the correct pitches and a beautiful, even tone.

As the lightest brass instrument, the trumpet is suitable for the youngest beginners, but to take up the trombone, for example, the player must have sufficiently long arms. The tuba, being the largest and heaviest brass instrument, requires strength, particularly when moving the instrument from one place to another.

Once you’ve mastered the correct technique, playing a brass instrument is surprisingly effortless. The image of a red-faced, panting musician, as portrayed in comedies and cartoons, is something a skilled brass player will never experience. On the other hand, the common perception that brass players are cheerful and good-natured is absolutely spot on!

It is advisable to rent an instrument to begin with, and only if the student feels the instrument is suitable should they consider purchasing their own. High-quality student models of trumpets, French ho s and trombones cost from €400–500 upwards. Musical instrument shops may have second-hand instruments in excellent condition for sale at a lower price than the above. Prices for student-model tubas start at around €2,000. A second-hand instrument is also a viable option in this case.

The best moments of playing brass and wind instruments are experienced when playing together – at rehearsals and gigs with friends!

The recommended starting age is 7–10 years. Drum lessons focus on developing independent motor skills and coordination in the limbs, so good concentration and basic motor skills are beneficial. Drums are an integral part of 20th and 21st-century popular music, and the content of the lessons largely focuses on related elements, but the sessions also cover hand-played percussion instruments, such as conga drums, as well as the basics and feel of classical orchestral instruments. Drum lessons are a great springboard for starting to play in a band or orchestra.

Practising requires you to purchase your own instrument. Drum kits are available in either acoustic or electronic versions. Prices for second-hand kits start from €200–300 upwards. When buying a kit for young lea ers, the size of the drum kit must be taken into account, particularly with acoustic drums. Many manufacturers produce junior drum kits that are well suited to small drummers, enabling correct playing positions. I’m happy to help you find an instrument.

Singing lessons are aimed at students aged 12 and over. During the lessons, students lea basic singing techniques through a variety of exercises and a diverse repertoire. Singing students take part in ensemble playing, either in the music school’s band or in a vocal ensemble.

From 1 August 2024, study modules completed at the Weste Central Finland Music College for basic and advanced music studies may be recorded in the national Koski database, i.e. the same system in which study achievements from basic education, secondary and higher education are recorded. (Decision of the Keuruu College Board, Section 18, 4 April 2024)

Recording academic achievements in Koski is optional in basic arts education, i.e. at music colleges, and requires the consent of the student and, in the case of a minor, their guardian. Students can continue to study at music colleges in the same way as before, without their studies being recorded in Koski.

The modules in the music school’s curriculum are assigned credits based on their estimated scope. One credit corresponds to 27 hours of supervised or independent study.

The Koski database records entire courses of study at music colleges, not individual components (e.g. not individual level assessments).

PLEASE NOTE! You can still obtain a certificate of completion for basic or advanced studies even if your study credits have not been recorded in the Koski database, provided that you have completed the study modules required for the certificate.

Modules in the core curriculum

• Instrumental tuition: 400 hours (14.8 credits) = Levels 1–3 

• Fundamentals of Music, 250 hours (9.3 credits) = Mupe 1–3 and General Music Theory 

• Optional modules: 150 hours (5.5 credits) = e.g. ensemble playing and/or a minor subject 

Upon completion of these modules, the student will be awarded a certificate of basic studies in the extended curriculum for music within the basic education in the arts. 

Modules for advanced studies

• Instrumental tuition: 200 hours (7.4 credits) 

• Fundamentals of Music, 100 hours (3.7 credits) = Basic Skills for Musicians 1–2 

• Optional modules: 100 hours (3.7 credits) = e.g. ensemble playing and/or a minor subject 

• Final project: 100 hours (3.7 credits) = a solo recital Upon completion
  
  of these modules, the student will receive a certificate of completion for the extended syllabus in music within the basic education in the arts. 

What’s the point?

• Uploading academic records to the service makes the knowledge and skills acquired in basic arts education visible alongside the qualifications obtained in other forms of education. 

• Students and parents can view their academic records via the Oma Opintopolku service. 

What should I do?

• The pupil or, in the case of a minor, their guardian must complete, sign and retu the separate consent form to the music school office. Further information and the consent form are available from the school office. 

PLEASE NOTE! You can still obtain a certificate of completion for basic or advanced studies even if your study credits have not been recorded in the Koski database, provided that you have completed the study modules required for the certificate. 

Babies (3–10 months), Toddlers (1–2 years), accompanied by an
adult Duration 30 mins
Price €75

Music play (3–5 years), without an adult
Duration 45 mins
Price €108*

Instrumental tuition (6–8 years), kantele and ukulele
Duration 45 mins
Price €108

Billing in September and February. 10% sibling discount.
One free trial session.

Contemporary dance, Street/hip-hop
Duration 60 mins
Price €125

Children’s dance (ages 4–6)
Duration 45 mins
Price €119

Dance as a minor subject (for music school instrumental students)
Duration 60 mins
Price €92

Dance as a minor subject (for music school instrumental students)
Duration 45 mins
Price €92

Billing in September and February. 10% sibling discount.
One free trial session.

Wind Instrument School and Instrumental Coaching (individual lessons, 15 mins per week)
Price: €75

Ensemble performance (exte al performers), orchestra, band and vocal ensemble
Price: €35

Billed in September and February.
One free trial session.

Exte al students
Price: €30

(Music students at the Adult Education Centre can attend classes free of charge; a fee is charged for the qualification) 

Basic course:
30-minute music lesson per week.
Price: €160

Basic course:
45-minute music lesson per week.
Price: €235

Advanced studies:
60 minutes of lessons per week.
Price: €280

Open class (adults aged 20 and over)
– 45-minute lesson per week.
Price:
€280 – 30-minute lesson per week.
Price: €180

Supplementary
fee: 30-minute music lesson per week.
Price: €125

Supplementary
fee: 45-minute music lesson per week.
Price: €175

Student record book
fee (when ordering a replacement for a lost one)
Price: €12

Music theory exam: €24
Solo performance exam: €70

Music school instrument hire: €30 per term.
Invoiced by the Läntinen K-S Music School

Soittajapoikien rental instrument: €60 per academic year, including membership fee.
Invoiced by Soittajapoikien ry