Composition and Vocal Arts student: Freedom to explore in a creative space
Nicholas Main grew up singing in a boy choir and discovered composing in high school, a prospect enriched by a masterclass with composer Kaija Saariaho. Now a composition major at the Sibelius Academy, Nicholas gets full support in cultivating their dual background, planning to make a career doing both professionally.
I enjoy the flexibility of the programme, the freedom to explore. At the Composition department, I’m focused on skill building. They teach us from a foundation of traditional music and help us learn from the styles of historical composers but they’re also very open-minded to whatever we want to do. All this has expanded my musical toolbox and made a massive impact on my work.
During the admissions process, they do thorough work with the applications, so they know us before we come here. This way they can assign us the right teacher. Everybody is working their hardest to work best together, both professors and peers.
The trust-based culture of Finland is reflected in our interaction with the teachers. We call professors by their first names here and I feel I’m talking eye-to-eye to an older colleague who is further along in their craft. Also, if I have a gig or festival and I need to take a week off, they’re very understanding and trust that I’ll make up the work. I don’t feel like I have to please anyone. It’s learning first here and doing my best is enough.
We share our building, the Helsinki Music Centre, with two major orchestras. I’ve learned so much just by attending their concerts. It’s also wild luxury for a student to be able to book an entire concert hall for a recording.
I love living in Helsinki. You have the benefits of a capital city without it being overly large – there’s both space and resources. It’s comfortable and clean. The rents are moderate.
Next fall, I’ll be cast in a production of the Sibelius Academy Opera. I’m looking at applying for a second master’s in singing here and perhaps doing an exchange in the Netherlands.
I hadn’t been to Finland before I came to study here but had inklings of the strong music scene in this distant country for years. When I was in high school, I watched Susanna Mälkki conduct the orchestra in my hometown, San Francisco, and bring them to life in a way I’d never heard before. It was electric. There was such a care for the music in her interpretation of the Rite of Spring, which made a lasting impression on me.
Since moving to Helsinki, I’ve found that same sort of care and excellence in concerts here time and time again, not only with the standard repertoire but also in new music. In my experience, Finland is very supportive of classical music – more than anywhere else in the world.