Student's guide

The Riihimäki Music College has been operating in its area for 60 years already, an educational institution offering high-quality and versatile playing and singing lessons in accordance with the broad curriculum of basic art education. Our contracted municipalities are Hausjärvi and Loppi. The teaching is goal-oriented and aimed primarily at children and young people, but you can start making music as a baby or as an adult. With us, you can study both classical music and rhythm music under the guidance of inspiring and professional teachers.

Teaching at the music college is student-oriented, encouraging and supports the student's strengths. The studies include basic and advanced studies. The basic studies include instrument studies, ensemble playing, music composition subjects and home practice. The studies progress from one level to the next, and it is possible to form versatile study paths in the studies. In advanced studies, studies are expanded and emphasized. The studies include a final project, which can be done creatively in many different ways and, for example, interdisciplinary.

Office opening hours

The music college building is located at Valtakatu 10, where the majority of our teaching takes place.

The Music College office is open:

• Mon-Fri 8am-16pm or by appointment.

Email and website

The music school's communication channels are e-mail and website. Bulletins about current affairs are sent by e-mail. Please notify the office of your family's changed email addresses.

Social media channels

Riihimäki Music College can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, X and on its own YouTube channel. On Some channels, we talk about current events, such as concerts.

• Facebook
• Instagram
• X
• YouTube

The academic year starts with the schools in the same week in August. We will inform you by email about the start of the fall semester and registration for classes at the beginning of August.

The school year includes 35 teaching weeks in total. Weekly music college studies include:

• Call lesson
• A lesson on music visualization subjects
• Collaborative music making
• Home practice daily

The music school has the right to organize teaching in a different way than mentioned, for example during a concert visit or a group teaching week.

Registration for group subject studies

Group subject studies are arranged before instrument studies. Group subjects refer to subjects that outline music, which include Taituri groups for around 6-8 year olds, the basics of music from around 9 years old and music history studies. Group subjects also include collective music making groups; orchestras, bands and choir.

Enrollment for music design subjects is done electronically in the student administration program Eepos: riihimaki.eepos.fi. You can see the timetables in Epos. When the group subject is clear, you can agree with your teacher on a suitable time for your playing lessons.

Arranging playing and singing lessons

Before teaching starts in August, the teachers will contact you by phone.

Ensemble

Playing together is part of the studies of all music college students. Playing together can be done in an orchestra, ensembles and bands. You can ask your own teacher for more information about ensemble playing.

Musical instrument loans

Do you need to borrow an instrument at the beginning of your studies? The music school has a limited selection of different instruments that we can lend to those starting their playing career. Ask your teacher or the music school office about free instruments. A musical instrument loan is €60/semester. An agreement for the musical instrument loan is made in Epos. During the loan period, the borrower is responsible for the costs caused by maintenance activities on the instrument and compensation for damages to the instrument.

Basically, the instrument is borrowed for the first year of study. The condition of the instrument is checked at the time of loan. It is appropriate for the student to have his own instrument when playing as a hobby. Your own teacher will be happy to help and guide you in purchasing your own instrument.

Hearing protection

Hearing is the most important work tool for musicians and music students, therefore protecting it from loud, continuous and sudden noise is important. To protect your hearing during training, 9–15 dB attenuating protectors are enough, for louder noise you can find earplugs, for example, at a pharmacy.

When you start your studies at the music college, your study information is collected in the Eepos database. Eepos is a student administration program where teachers record your studies, verbal evaluations of your progress and other information about your studies.

You will receive your own username and password for Eepos at the beginning of your studies. Logging in to Eepos on a computer takes place at riihimaki.eepos.fi. You can also download the Eepos application to your mobile device from the App Store and Google Play links below. If you have lost your Eepos login credentials and password, you can get new ones by contacting our office at musikkiopisto@riihimaki.fi.

• Apple App Store
• Google Play

Semester

The school year of the music school follows the school year of Riihimäki.

• Appointment of lessons: week 32/2023
• Autumn teaching 10.8.–20.12.2023
• Spring term teaching 8.1.–24.5.2024

Holidays in the academic year 2022–2023

• Autumn vacation in week 42: Mon-Fri 16.–22.10.2023
• Christmas vacation 22.12.2023 December 7.1.2024-XNUMX January XNUMX
• Winter vacation in week 8: Mon-Fri 19.–25.2.2024
• Easter holiday Fri-Mon 29.3.–1.4.2024
• May Day 1.5.2024 May XNUMX
• Maundy Thursday Thu 16.5.2024 and also the Friday after Maundy Thursday 17.5. it's a day off.

Tuition fees

The tuition fee includes individual playing or singing lessons, group teaching of music visualization subjects, and group music sessions. The tuition fee does not include learning material acquisitions, such as music books, sheet music notebooks, music stands. Tuition fees are decided by Riihimäki's board of education and welfare.

Tuition fees are sent in October in the autumn term and in March in the spring term. You can find the current tuition fees with additional information from here. The tuition fee must be paid by the deadline. A delay in payment will result in a late fee and possible other collection costs. Failure to pay can jeopardize the continuation of studies at the college.

At the beginning of the semester, the student can attend two playing or singing lessons free of charge. If you then realize that you want to stop your music hobby, no tuition fee will be charged. After two visits, the tuition fee will be charged in full. The tuition fee is charged in full even if the student interrupts his studies in the middle of the semester.

Free student places

In August-September, it is possible to apply for a discount on tuition fees or a free student place for one academic year on financial grounds. The application form with attachments (latest tax certificate and salary certificate or other statement of income as well as income and expenditure certificates) must be submitted to the music college's office (Valtakatu 10) by the end of September. The decision on a free student place will be announced in writing. Free student places are not granted to students of open education. Late applications or applications submitted in the middle of the academic year will not be processed. You can get the application form from the office of the music college or you can print it out from here.

Sister flights

Sibling discounts are 20%/sibling on the main subject fee.

You must attend classes regularly. If the student is unable to participate in the lesson, he must inform his teacher as soon as possible. The teacher is not obliged to compensate for lessons canceled due to the student's absence.

Sick due to the risk of infection, may not come to classes. At the music academy, we follow the same rule as in schools, i.e. the student must be fever-free or otherwise symptom-free for a day before attending lessons. We ask for consideration when arriving to classes even in a situation where a student's family is suffering from an easily contagious disease: you can always contact your teacher and negotiate with the teacher about attending the class. If possible, all absences must be reported in advance directly to the teacher, including teachers of group subjects, for example by text message. Holiday trips and other absences that can be planned in advance must be arranged well in advance with all of your own teachers.

If a teacher has to postpone a playing or singing lesson, the music school tries to organize the teaching in different ways: the compensation can be implemented, for example, as a group lesson, distance learning or in another appropriate way. One teacher's absence due to the music college may not be compensated in a semester. In the case of a teacher's prolonged illness, the music school tries to find a substitute teacher for the class. The student/guardian will be notified of the cancellation of the class either by text message or email. If the lessons of the soloist subject have to be canceled due to the teacher's absence, and compensation for the lessons cannot be arranged, the music school will refund part of the tuition fee.

At the music academy, students study according to the curriculum. The studies are divided into basic studies and advanced studies. The student receives a certificate for completing the basic studies, and for completing the entire extensive curriculum (basic studies and advanced studies) the student is given a certificate of completion. During the studies, it is possible to make individual solutions in building the study unit. The curriculum describes, among other things, the educational institution's mission statement, values, teaching goals, structure of studies and teaching arrangements. The curriculum is constantly updated. You can read the curriculum from here.

Every spring, in April, all students at the music college are asked to confirm by the deadline whether to continue or stop their studies. This so-called follow-up survey is submitted electronically in Epos. The notice must also be left in the event that you decide to stop your studies at the music college. With the same form, you can express your wish for secondary instrument studies and leave feedback and wishes to the office.

Gap year and interruption of studies

A gap year can be granted in a force majeure situation. A justified reason for a gap year can be, for example, moving abroad, performing national defense duty, serious illness (with a medical certificate). The deputy rector of the music college decides on the granting of a gap year.

Each student's studies can be individualized with a personal curriculum. As your studies progress, you may come across different questions. Feel free to turn to your own teacher in your matters. You can also contact the deputy rector of the music college with your questions.

The music school organizes several concerts every year. An important part of the studies is performing in concerts and listening to other performances. Most of the music college's concerts are free of charge. You can find the concert and event calendar from here. Concerts are also announced on the notice boards in the music college building. The guardians and close circle of the music school students are also warmly welcome to the music school's concerts.

Good concert-going habits include not leaving concerts halfway through. Even if your own performance is at the beginning of the concert, it is polite to listen and encourage the performers who end the concert as well.

Music college students are in demand as performers, and they are often seen at events outside the college as well. If you are going to perform elsewhere, such as at your school, please remember to tell your instrument and singing teacher about it as well.

Parents do not have to be music enthusiasts to be able to monitor their child's practice and progress. Studying at a music college is long-term, and the years of study can accommodate the ups and downs of study motivation. It is an advantage for the student that the guardians are interested in his studies, the student gets encouragement, support and listeners for his practice and presentations. When you have issues concerning your child, we encourage you to boldly discuss the issues with the child's teacher. The assistant principal will also be happy to answer any questions you may have.