A database of over 150 pedagogical works is helping to integrate contemporary Finnish music more firmly into music education. Published on Music Finland’s Composers & Repertoire platform, the database showcases works by Finnish contemporary composers that are suitable for use in music schools. It serves instrument teachers by making it significantly easier to find contemporary pieces that match their students’ skill levels.

The database is the result of a collaboration between the Society of Finnish Composers and Music Finland. The Society’s composition pedagogy working group Ääneni äärelle conducted a survey among its members and Music Finland’s composer clients, resulting in the collection of more than 150 pedagogical works by nearly 40 composers. The works have been compiled on the Composers & Repertoire platform (CORE ) where they can be accessed via search functions (pedagogical works category, also advanced searches by composer name, instrumentation, or year of composition).

Skill level classification plays a key role
The works in the database are suitable for students at various levels in music education. A crucial part of the project has been the evaluation work carried out by instrument pedagogues: teachers from different music institutions have assessed the difficulty of each piece using a three-tier scale, ranging from beginners to advanced students.

Previous initiatives have commissioned pedagogical contemporary works and aimed to integrate them into instrumental teaching. However, some of these pieces have proven technically too demanding and have not always reached educational settings. By providing a practical and clearly defined skill-level classification, the project aims to improve accessibility and usability.

On the CORE platform, each work in the database is accompanied not only by its skill level but also by a short description of its content and pedagogical focus, as well as keywords highlighting specific technical or compositional features. About half of the works are solo pieces, while just under a quarter are chamber music. The database also includes accompanied solo works, compositions for various orchestral ensembles, and vocal music. Most of the works are written for piano, but there is also a substantial number for string and wind instruments.

Encouraging open-minded exploration of contemporary music
The project has also involved collaboration with the Association of Finnish Music Schools and the 2025 Musica nova Helsinki festival, where a concert featured the first excerpts from the database, performed by students from various music institutes.

The idea behind the database is further explored in an article by Leevi Räsänen published on the Opus 1 website, “Let Contemporary Music Be Heard – A New Database to Support Pedagogues”. In the article (in Finnish), pedagogues Ilkka Hammo and Päivi Kiljala share their experiences of teaching contemporary music, describing how students become enthusiastic about new sounds and techniques. As they put it: “Students enjoy being able to bang, strum, and tap away”—and it is precisely this kind of open-minded curiosity that the database aims to inspire.

Find the material here:
Music Finland – Composers & Repertoire
The Society of Finnish Composers’ pedagogical resource bank Opus 1