Apply to the Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) programme
Admissions guide for the 2.5-year Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) programme. Admissions schedule, required certificates and advance assignments as well as information about participating in the entrance examinations.
Admissions schedule
NOTE! The next intake for Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) programme has not been decided yet. The earliest possible intake is in 2026. The admissions guide will be updated on this page in October-November of the previous year. The admissions requirements underneath are for the year 2023 and are no longer valid.
Language requirements
The language of tuition in the Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) programme is English. You must prove your language skills in English by the given deadline.
Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) entrance examinations
First stage: Advance assignments
Submit the following advance assignments to the Sibelius Academy via the Studyinfo portal no later than at 3pm EET (Finnish time) on 25 January 2023:
1) Motivation essay (max. three A4 pages, you may title the essay as you wish), including the following details:
- Your musical background, your education, and your relationship to folk music
- Your experience of making music in an ensemble or other musical communication, if any
- Your other activities related to folk music (e.g. teaching, research, organising, volunteering or other communal activities)
- Why you are applying to study in Nordic Master in Folk Music -degree programme
2) Instrument or voice audition (video recording)
- You are to perform a freely selected programme (max. duration 15 minutes). You must demonstrate a command of instrument or voice skills and a familiarity with Nordic folk music performance practices. The repertoire may consist of traditional or new folk music, folk music material composed by yourself, and improvisation. The programme must include a segment that demonstrates your familiarity with Finnish traditional folk music. In addition to performing on your main instrument, you may include a sample of your secondary instrument and voice performance.
- The programme must be performed without sheet music and a minimum of 2/3 of the programme must be performed without an accompaniment.
- The video recording should not be edited or cut. You must play the whole repertoire in one single take. If your video exceeds the 1 GB maximum, you may divide a single-take video into segments.
- The material must include information about the musical source (e.g. composer and arranger).
Based on the scores given for the first stage, the Board will invite some of the applicants to the second stage of the entrance examination. Selected applicants will receive an invitation by e-mail. Others will be notified of rejection. The first stage results will be announced at latest on 22 February 2023.
Second stage
The second stage of the examination will be held via remote connection between 2 and 3 March 2023. A stable internet connection is necessary.
The second stage of the examination consists of the following sub-tests:
- Instrument or voice audition and interview
- Sight reading, aural skills, and accompaniment in ensemble playing
All sub-tests are held live online via a remote connection.
Instrument or voice audition and interview
You are to perform a freely selected programme (max. duration 15 minutes). The most important part of the entrance examination is the freely selected programme, displaying your artistry and musical skills. The programme must demonstrate an acceptable mastery of your instrument(s) or voice, as well as a thorough knowledge of folk music interpretation in performance. The repertoire may consist of traditional or new folk music, folk music material composed by yourself, and improvisation. The programme must include a segment that demonstrates your familiarity with Finnish traditional folk music.
The programme must be performed without sheet music and a minimum of 2/3 of the programme must be performed without an accompaniment.
A short interview in English is included in the examination.
Sight reading, aural skills, and accompaniment in ensemble playing
In the sight-reading test you will play/sing a tune from the Nordic folk music traditions. You will receive the tune form the Entrance Examination Board shortly before the test.
In the aural skills (picking up tunes, rhythms and/or songs by ear) test you will play/sing a tune that you have not heard before. You will hear the tune several times, then you play it on your instrument.
In the accompaniment test your task is to improvise a harmony or an accompaniment to a tune that is presented to you at the test.
Entrance examination assessment
Applicants’ performance in the entrance examinations is assessed by programme-specifically appointed Entrance Examination Boards.
The Board assesses your knowledge, skills, and capabilities, and your capacity to complete the degree studies within the normative duration for the completion of a degree. The assessment takes account of how your previous education and experience reflects in your competence and assesses your competence in relation to the objectives set in the curriculum. When assessing your educability, it is also taken into consideration that the new degree must provide you with sufficient new competence.
In addition, the Entrance Examination Board for Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) will assess in the first stage, based on your performances, your instrumental skills, understanding of the aesthetics of folk music and stylistic features of the performed repertoire, artistic vision, and interpretation within the folk music context. In the second stage the Entrance Examination Board will assess your technical and expressive skills, musical communication and perception skills, and knowledge of folk music. Also, suitability for education and a career in music based on the entrance examination is considered.
Scoring of the entrance examination
The Board will assess your performances in the first stage and in all sub-tests in the second stage on a scale of 0 to 25 points.
Sub-tests will be weighted in the final score as follows:
- Second stage instrument or voice audition 75 %
- Interview and motivation essay 10 %
- Ensemble playing / improvisation 5 %
- Aural skills test 5 %
- Sight reading (prima vista) 5 %
The first stage Instrument or voice audition performance is not considered in the final scores.
Questions or comments?
You can contact us via e-mail at siba.admissions@uniarts.fi.
If you have any questions, please check first if your question has been already answered on our Frequently Asked Questions page. This page will be updated constantly. Please check it regularly to see if new questions have been answered. Please note that in principle we do not explain the entrance examination assignments. The instructions are in the admissions guide.
If you have any questions regarding student life at the Sibelius Academy or in Helsinki, you can contact our Student Ambassadors at siba.student.ambassadors@uniarts.fi.
The Sibelius Academy Admissions Chat
What is it like to study at the Sibelius Academy and live in Helsinki? How do you apply to the Sibelius Academy? We answered these questions among others in our Admissions chat broadcast 19 November 2024. The recording of the event is available on Sibelius Academy’s Instagram account. Please click here to open the recording.