In Finland, the advanced syllabus for music in basic arts education provided by the music schools consist of instrument studies, orchestra or chamber music, and musicianship skills. Musicianship skills has been expanded from previous subject fields of music theory and aural training. The studies include the practice of reading, writing, and listening skills, theoretical and analytical content as well as creative exercises like improvisation, composing and making music arrangements. The title of musicianship skills has been used to describe the change in teaching from a strict division of subjects and national qualification requirements towards a more learner centered and integrative teaching, which supports the student’s experiential and holistic musical growth. 

In this presentation I will first explain some background info about the Finnish music school system, followed by some details about the educational change that has been happening for around 20 years. I will also include some practical examples. 

In Finland the music school education is moving from teacher/curriculum-centered teaching towards more student-centered approach. In musicianship skills teaching this means a shift from knowledge transmission and fragmented exercises to thinking of education as development of independence and autonomy and lesson activities in which new knowledge is build based on students’ former understanding and the group is working on real-life context. 

I believe that musicianship skills can play an important role in broadening students’ musical understanding and means of expression, but the most important goal of the studies is not just teaching of skills but building up musical identity and meaning of music in students’ life.

In this lecture I explore with practical examples and analytical scores some ancient and new ways of teaching Italian solfeggio, reviewing at a historical level the birth of solfeggio, the reasons for its usefulness and some proposals innovative to improve spoken and spelled reading. In this regard, I will talk about some fundamental methods of early twentieth century Italian teaching (Bona, Ciriaco, Pozzoli, Poltronieri, etc.) and the possible innovations that can arise from the study of these texts, favoring in young students a fluent and functional reading of music for the acquisition of First Sight reading. 

The presentation will introduce and briefly discuss the Indian system of relative solfege – sargam. This Sanskrit term is derived from the Indian names for the first four steps  of the heptatonic scale (sa-ri-ga-ma). The Indian names for the steps are abbreviations of longer words. In Indian music, the sargam has both a mnemonic and a pedagogical function, and is even used as a technical tool for vocal improvisation. 

The presentation discusses the main characteristics of classical Indian music (number of scale degrees, variety of scales, bourdon). The South Indian musical system is particularly complex, comprising as many as 72 different heptatonic scales. In the South Indian tradition, music studies begin with exercises that students intone in sargam syllables and learn by heart. The South Indian composer Purandara Dasa (1480/94?-1564) is considered to be the founder of this pedagogical system. Some elements of the Indian sargam system could be creatively applied to Western solfeggio systems. The use of the drone could be particularly productive. It helps to hear notes as both scale degrees and intervals at the same time. 

The report will introduce the methods of learning Azerbaijani modes in solfeggio lessons in primary and secondary musical education institutions. It reviews the main stages of the formation of the modern musical system of Azerbaijani music and its inclusion in the country's musical education system. The report will share insights about the education of musical intonation based on folk music and its relevant methods.

The theoretical basis of classical solfeggio training programs usually consists of the provisions of the European major-minor system. However, in the non-European culture to which Azerbaijan belongs, the practice of educating a young musician shows that a broader approach to this issue is necessary. Comprehensive development of musical hearing should include both traditional harmonic major-minor structures and monodic modes of folk music - from the European Middle Ages (Ionic, Alloy, Mixolydian, etc.) to modes’ characteristic of national culture. One of the most relevant issues remains the organization of the process of developing the listening comprehension of national music modes and the generation of suitable methods.

The report is devoted to the actual topic of the development of modal hearing based on the Ukrainian folk song. The report also develops the theme of the practical application of the acquired skills of analyzing the features of a song in the selection by ear of its melody and accompaniment to it. 

I haven’t studied music for only four years of my life and I feel free expressing myself through the language of music. I would very much like to help others navigate space and time music-wise, therefore I have chosen my main topics to be intonation and rhythm. Both themes include thinking “hacks”, a demonstration by me while talking and an exercise task i am currently filming.

It's no secret that the solfeggio training routine seems to be neither attractive, interesting nor very necessary for many students, especially in early adolescence. Faced with more complex theory, more challenging tasks, we constantly hear the question Why do I need this? The search for the meaning of solfeggio is directly related to the very important question of learning motivation. Therefore, in this collective report, based on the practice and experience of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts (purposeful selection of tasks, twelfth-grade opera project, teenager-oriented competition format), we will share observations and insights on how to encourage students to experience the meaning of learning solfeggio and discover the practical benefits of learning it.