World Music School Helsinki

Is a non profit association registred in Finland

with the purpose of teaching music as a language

IN PRACTICAL TERMS THE SCHOOL

  • Links itself to a local community with a fully or halfway working internal economy (eg. a cohousing, a coworking, etc) and optimizes both models to optimize the link between local and global economy (via eg. Fablabs, cafe concertos, teaching rooms, sound studios, etc)
  • Organizes local folk dance events by mixing each time two distinct cultures (eg. Kurdish and Irish) with the local one (eg. Finnish).
  • Promotes and organizes locally, music workshops, concerts and camps
  • Manages a list of teachers worldwide but does not influence on their teaching methods (eg. Suzuki, Orff, etc.). The teachers remain independent on their teaching methods (teaching directly to the student) but having content guidelines for the next dance event to which the student should prepare for
  • Creates open publications of its work

FILLING IN A GAP

The WMS fills in the gap between the many high level teaching Institutions and the informal music sessions spread out around the country. Finland needs such a school because exploring music traditions of other countries and continents will not only increase participants knowledge of different cultures but also strengthens everyone`s own cultural tradition. The WMS will contribute to development of social capital, new cultural skills and mindsets for future Finland.

THE TEACHING METHOD

1 – We mix experts with beginners, where rules are added later and incrementally.

2 – As a language, students use immediately what they learn, performing from day one to improvise and make mistakes. To achieve that, we use folk dance music because:

  • it uses easy to pick up tunes through their repetitiveness and simple arrangements
  • it focuses, not on the musicians, but on the social gathering itself, taking the pressure away from the learning.
  • It offers room for more experienced players to improvise showing to the novice its power as means of expression
  • it gives an immediate recognition effect (as in games)
  • it enhances the body language (via dance) decreasing the need for a common native language

3 – We increase the student’s knowledge by focusing on the “words” (instruments and repertoire) they like most. For that we generate income from the monthly public dance folk events where students play with others. That money is used to subsidize further private lessons. Students can choose from our list of teachers worldwide and via video-conference, they learn their favorite “language” so they can come back to the dance events and perform further and even teach others!

4 – We document the process in a systematic and interactive way to promote further improvements. The events content and outcome is documented via the latest available technologies such as Virtual Reality 360 Cameras, to allow a multitude of exploration and participation of the public and of students.

THE NAME

The name “World Music” is not used by us as the widely accepted meaning of being in opposition to the Western music. We use the term for three reasons: 

  • That music is an universal (world) language (music) and should be mastered by all
  • That music from all the corners of the world should be cherished and disseminated for its richness and diversity (resilience)
  • That music unites people all over the world (community)

HIGHLIGHTS

– 1st ever invited Speakers from Finland for the prestigious WOMEX
– Organized over 50 local events in 5 years mixing over 20 diaspora groups resident in Finland via Music and Dance monthly events.
– Co-organizer of the 50th Kaustinen Folk Festival.
– Expanding the school’s innovative model to 3 other continents since 2017, including China and West Africa.
– Currently with over 64 teachers
– Invited directly by the Finnish Prime Minister’s cabinet to be part of the Finland100 official program.

PRESS

 

A peer reviewed paper on Observing the World Music School Helsinki as a social ecological system to enhance community connectivity and resilience 

“A escola portuguesa que sonha ser um “uber para músicos”

está a caminho de África” (O Público)

 

 ”Currently the World Music School has schools in Helsinki,

Shanghai and Porto. I asked myself, why not Africa?” (O Público)

 

 “Podemos y debemos utilizar las minorías locales, juntarlas,

para obtener un mejor conocimiento de nuestra propia cultura.” (El Comunista.net)

 

The World Music School, do not intend to use such Music and Dance

events to oversimplify public discussion.” (El Comunista.net)

 

“Podemos y debemos utilizar las minorías locales, juntarlas,

para obtener un mejor conocimiento de nuestra propia cultura.” (El Comunista.net)

Meet The Team

We are a very diversed group of people from different backgrounds and expertise.
Since February 2016, when the board members sat together and wrote the association principles, we have been welcoming new members. We believe this work is very relevant to local communities and to societies.

Pedro Aibéo

Pedro Aibéo

Chairman

MSc Architect MSc Civil Engineer, musician of the World Music Band “Homebound”, PhDc Arhcitectural Democracy, published graphic novel artist.

Tiina Laurila

Tiina Laurila

Board Member

Sustainability Specialist at Northern Camelion. Environmental / sustainability management, Design for Sustainability, Virtual teaching in higher education.

Susu Nousala

Susu Nousala

Vice Chairman

Writer, Senior Academic Researcher focusing on cultural heritage, community and educational networks.
Background in visual arts, music theory, violin and saxophone and Finnish folk dancing.

Liisa Manninen

Liisa Manninen

Africa Operations

Trained French teacher, specialized in multilingual communication, experienced in sales and team management

Ricardo Coelho

Ricardo Coelho

WMS Porto

A professional folk musician and bagpipes teacher and organizer of several folk musical festivals

Wilfrid Houndje

Wilfrid Houndje

WMS Grand-Popo

A very experienced cultural manager, with proved work under ciamo, he is our Ambassador of the World Music School in West Africa, most exactly at Grand-Popo, Benin.

Ruut Karhula

Ruut Karhula

Cultural Manager

Professional musician (classical singing and piano) and music manager. Skilled in music, management and event production. Studying vocal arts in the University of the Arts Helsinki, Sibelius Academy.

Timothée Landa

Timothée Landa

Head of recruitment

Political science and urban studies student. Experienced in associative projects related to  event’s organization in multicultural context

Headquarter

World Music School’s Headquaerters is in Finland at Hyrsylän Koulu