Arte
Entered 2024.03.11 18:43 Modified 2024.03.12 01:23 Basis A10
Cities around the world are in the midst of a culture war.
(5) The magic of the classics
‘The Leader’s Cradle’ Helsinki, FinlandHelsinki, where classical music flows 365 days a year, has raised ‘command idol’ Mekele
‘Live Orchestra’ even in small cities in Finland
The highest number of professional symphony orchestras compared to the population
A panoramic view of the Helsinki Music Centre, Finland. (c) Petri Anttila In Finland, it is commonly said that “a city without an orchestra is not a city.” This means that even in small local cities, there must be at least one band where one can listen to live music. The fact that Finland is ‘sincere’ about music can be confirmed by numbers.
The population of Finland is approximately 5.55 million (2022), which is half the population of Seoul (9.33 million). However, Finland has 15 national and public professional symphony orchestras, three times as many as Seoul (5). That is why it is said that “the country has the largest number of professional orchestras compared to its population.”
Qualitatively, it is even more overwhelming. In addition to prestigious orchestras in Helsinki, such as the Finnish Radio Symphony, there are also high-quality orchestras distributed throughout each region. Orchestra conductor training is rated as one of the best in the world. Popular conductors such as Klaus Mekele, a ‘nova’ in the world of conducting who was appointed artistic director of the Royal Concertgebouw (RCO) at the age of 27, and Susanna Malky, who became the first female principal guest conductor of the LA Philharmonic, all come from r Finland. Western Europe has traditionally been the home of classical music, centered on Austria and Germany.
How did Finland, which is somewhat far from the mainstream, become a powerhouse in the arts, especially the ‘Land of the Maestros’? The Korea Economic Daily visited Helsinki, Finland to analyze the background. Students from Finland visited the performance of the Tempere Philharmonic Orchestra. Provided by Art Tester/(c)Tommi Turunen
Finland, which has half the population of Seoul… 15 national and public symphony orchestras in ‘triple Seoul’
Helsinki has been providing practical arts education since the 1960s, allowing music to permeate everyday life.
Helsinki, the capital of Finland, which was visited by the Korea Economic Daily at the end of last month, was quiet even though it was working time during the week. Due to the low population density and bad weather, there were not many people even near Helsinki Central Railway Station, a busy area. There was only one venue, the Helsinki Music Center (Musiikkitalo), which was an exception. The lobby of the Music Center, one of Helsinki’s famous landmarks, was filled with people who came to see the concert from 5 pm Carolina Piccaren, an official at the concert hall, explained, “At least two performances are held every day, and most of the seats are filled,” adding, “It is a natural procedure here for people to come to the concert hall in the concert hall. afternoon.”
Systematic art education for all citizens
Finnish leaders who are active on the world stage. Klaus Mekele (above), appointed artistic director of the RCO, and Susanna Malki, who leads the LA Philharmonic. Provided by Vincero/(c)Chris Lee Even a world-class conductor and a great orchestra are worthless without an audience. Finland has people with high cultural and artistic knowledge. Historically, when Finland gained independence from Russia in the early 20th century, it strategically emphasized its cultural identity, which led to the systematization of arts education at government level. The fact that many of the regional orchestras that have survived to this day were started by art lovers or the private sector also shows the great national affection for the arts.
In Finland, a ‘Basic Arts Education (BEA)’ system has been in place for decades since the 1960s and 1970s. Basic arts education is part of public education which allows those who wish to receive a practical arts education in addition to school subject classes. At government level, the aim was to ‘enable every citizen to play musical instruments.’ Under the support of the government and local governments, students can receive practical training directly from experts by paying less than 20% of the tuition fee. Starting with music, it is now available in nine fields, including art, architecture and dance. It’s similar to after-school art schools in Korea, but it’s much more systematic. According to the Finnish Basic Education Association, there are approximately 220 affiliated educational institutions in Finland that provide BEA, and more than 80% of local governments across the country implement them. The government creates the curriculum and controls the quality of education. As such, in Finland, art is not a ‘luxury’ but a ‘public good’. It is considered that access to the arts is a right that every child and young person should have.
Produce a number of leading officers
Helsinki National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Valtti Koivunen If you enter the Helsinki Music Center, you will find the Sibelius Academy. This academy is a university level music school and is a prestigious institution that has produced many master conductors. When discussing Finnish music, the conductor cannot be omitted. The first generation leader Jorma Panula (96) systematized the educational curriculum to train professional leaders here in 1973. At that time, there was almost no system for training separate leaders in the school. He mainly played accompaniment in opera houses and continued to learn individually from conductors. What makes these classes special is the rich practical experience called ‘Kapu Bandi’ (practice class). It is almost impossible for students to get the experience of conducting a first class orchestra. However, the Sibelius Conservatoire’s conducting curriculum gives students the opportunity to conduct Finnish professional orchestras as many as four times a year. In Korea, this means giving graduate students the opportunity to conduct the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra as a school class.
“We have strong connections with all regional orchestras in Finland,” says Kaisa Holopainen, head of the conducting department. “Because (Finland) is a small country, all orchestras and schools want to unite and participate in developing world-class conductors.” He said.
“Growing the audience of the future”
Education and culture and the arts communities in Finland share the recognition that arts education must also change with the times. Sakari Oramo, professor at the Sibelius Academy and principal conductor of the BBC Symphony, said, “Classical music is fundamental in Finland, but it cannot be taken for granted in the long term,” stressing the need for incentives and systems to lead the future. generations to culture and the arts.
Operational support and research in this regard is also carried out in the private sector. ‘Art Tester’, supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and operated by the Finnish Children’s Cultural Foundation, is a notable success story. Art Tester, which began in 2017, is a program that sends 8th grade students to art attractions (art galleries, museums, performance halls, theaters, etc.) twice a year across the country. Transportation and viewing fees are provided for students, and students are required to write specific feedback.
This program isn’t just about taking kids on a picnic to pass the time. Their curriculum is carefully crafted by a panel of judges made up of professional artists, students and teachers. It includes a variety of works and performances produced by over 80 art organisations. Art Tester operations manager Jonas Keskinen said, “The program is systematically structured to cover a variety of difficulty levels and genres,” adding, “This is because art is not just about enjoying it.”
The aim of the programme, which is funded until 2027, is to become a permanent part of education. Around 65,000 students participate in the program each time, and a cumulative total of more than 400,000 students have experienced it. Art Tester’s biggest goal is to increase general accessibility to art. In addition, based on children’s reviews, ‘presenting the culture and arts that future audiences want to practitioners’ is another major aim. Manager Keskinen said, “We will give students experiences to familiarize themselves with (art), and by converting their reviews into data, we will create the cultural infrastructure that future audiences need.”
Helsinki = Correspondent Choi Da-eun max@hankyung.com
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