TAMK’s music students to journeymen of Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
The journeymanship makes the educational Tampere Orchestra Academy cooperation closer between TAMK Music, Tampere Conservatoire and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra. Two students from each institution can work in Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra for four weeks in the academic year 2020–2021. The first showcase is the concert led by Hannu Lintu on 22 October.
TAMK Music’s journeymen are Flautist Reetta Hakala and Clarinettist Martina Jalonen. They were chosen based on a test play. The students work as additional players under the supervision of professional musicians and receive credits for the orchestra weeks.
Fourth-year music student Reetta Hakala waits for the journeyman weeks impatiently even if the coronavirus has also affected Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra’s programme.
“The concert programme of the autumn was changed because of the situation. I hope that we can play large symphonies with a bigger orchestra in the spring,” Hakala says.
Professional orchestra’s work becomes familiar during studies
The purpose of Tampere Orchestra Academy is to promote students’ professional competence in orchestra playing and improve their employment possibilities after graduation. The orchestra academy is an important part of TAMK Music’s free-choice courses and one of the degree programme’s assets.
The teaching is mainly organised at TAMK Music. The annual orchestra period with Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra takes place at Tampere Hall. The teachers are principals and players of Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra’s Manager Juha Ahonen sees the orchestra academy cooperation important in establishing the journeymanship and developing music life in Tampere.
“Cooperation between students and professional musicians and dissemination of competence to the next generation are the core of art. The better we can integrate skilful students into orchestras, the better we can develop the entire cultural life in the Tampere Region,” Ahonen says.
“During the past couple of years, about a dozen of orchestra academy students have casually worked at Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, which is quite a lot in my opinion,” Tampere Orchestra Academy’s Coordinator Hanna Kilpinen adds.
Master’s thesis from words to action
The key persons starting the orchestra academy in 2015 were Tampere Conservatoire’s Senior Lecturer Jaana Haanterä and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra’s former Manager Helena Hiilivirta. Hanna Kilpinen, who is the present-day coordinator, is an alumna of TAMK Music.
Master of Culture and Arts Kilpinen did her master’s thesis on orchestra musicians’ working life skills and preparation for test plays. The master’s thesis spawned Kilpinen a job at Tampere Orchestra Academy.
The current orchestra academy contents were gathered by discussing with professional musicians, music students and administrative staff of Gothenburg, Tampere and Musiikkitalo Orchestra Academies.
“My motto is that the wheel does not need to be reinvented but we can all learn something new by sharing. In my thesis, I gathered good and functioning practices which are concretised in Tampere Orchestra Academy,” Kilpinen says.
Some orchestra academy highlights of the academic year are expert lectures and workshops. In spring 2021, the orchestra academy will play opera treasures with TAMK’s vocal instrument students at Tampere Hall under Conductor Jonas Rannila. TAMK’s conducting students will also participate. Students can also learn about orchestra administration on orchestra academy courses on music librarians’ and stage managers’ work.
One of Tampere University of Applied Sciences’ objectives is to increase internationality in all its operations. This academic year, Tampere Orchestra Academy aims at expanding its international networks. At the moment, English material is being produced for exchange students.
“As for international cooperation, my dream is to see Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra’s and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali leading an orchestra consisting of both cities’ orchestra academies,” Kilpinen envisages.
Text: Emmi Rämö
Video: Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Photos: Arttu Rantakärkkä, Ville Hautakangas
Further information
Hanna Kilpinen
Coordinator, Tampere Orchestra Academy
tel. 041 533 0381
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra’s news on 19.10.2020
