The Sibelius Academy (Finnish: Taideyliopisto Sibelius-Akatemia, Swedish: Konstuniversitetets Sibelius-Akademi) is part of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities with roughly 1,700 enrolled students.
The Sibelius Academy is one of the organizers of the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition held every five years in Helsinki.
The academy was founded in 1882 by Martin Wegelius as Helsingfors musikinstitut ("Helsinki Music Institute") and renamed Sibelius-Akatemia in 1939 to honour its own former student and Finland's most celebrated composer Jean Sibelius. In 2013, the academy merged with two formerly independent universities, Theatre Academy Helsinki and Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, to form the University of the Arts Helsinki.
The primary degree at the Sibelius Academy is the Master of Music (MMus) degree. The school also offers postgraduate degrees with artistic and research options. The postgraduate degrees are the Licentiate of Arts in Music Lic.A. (Mus.) and the doctoral degree of Doctor of Arts in Music D.A. (Mus.)
The Academy offers the following degree programmes:
Degree Programme in Church Music
Degree Programme in Composition and Music Theory
Degree Programme in Folk Music
Degree Programme in Jazz Music
Degree Programme in Orchestral and Choral Conducting
Degree Programme in Music Education
Degree Programme in Music Technology
Degree Programme in Music Performance
Degree Programme in Vocal Music
Degree Programme in Arts Management
Kalevi Aho
Erik Bergman
Paavo Heininen, former professor of composition
Tuomas Kantelinen
Pekka Kostiainen, composer and choral conductor
Magnus Lindberg
Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
Erkki Melartin, student/composer/professor/Director Helsinki Conservatory
Veli-Matti Puumala, professor of composition
Einojuhani Rautavaara
Kaija Saariaho
Aulis Sallinen
Jean Sibelius
Leo Funtek (1885–1965), violinist, conductor, arranger and music professor
Pietari Inkinen, violinist, and conductor
Sasha Mäkilä, assistant conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra
Sakari Oramo, conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra
Jorma Panula, conductor, composer and teacher
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra, former conductor of the LA Philharmonic, composer
Jukka-Pekka Saraste, former conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
David Searle, orchestral conductor of The Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra
Leif Segerstam, conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Ulf Söderblom, Principal Conductor of the Finnish National Opera (1973–1993), taught at the Sibelius Academy and conducted its orchestras from 1965 to 1968
Osmo Vänskä, music director of the Minnesota Orchestra
Juhani Aaltonen, Finnish jazz saxophonist and flautist
Linda Brava, violinist
Gerard Le Feuvre, cellist and founder of the Kings Chamber Orchestra
Simon Ghraichy (1985), pianist
Tuija Hakkila (1959), pianist
Kari Kriikku, clarinetist
Matias Kupiainen, lead guitarist of the band Stratovarius
Pekka Kuusisto, violinist
Risto Lauriala, pianist
Max Lilja, cellist in the band Hevein and founding member of Apocalyptica
Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna, pianist
Paavo Lötjönen, cellist in the band Apocalyptica
Antero Manninen, former cellist in the band Apocalyptica and cellist in the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Olli Mustonen, pianist and composer
Arto Noras, cellist, student of Paul Tortelier
Mikko Paananen, known as Mige, bassist of the band HIM
Martti Pokela, founder of the folk music department and former professor of the kantele
Aku Raski aka Huoratron, electro house and chiptune musician
Martti Rousi, cello teacher
Antti Siirala, winner of the Dublin, Leeds, and Beethoven international piano competitions
Eicca Toppinen, cellist in the band Apocalyptica
Perttu Kivilaakso, cellist in the band Apocalyptica, former Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Kim Borg, bass
Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano
Tommi Hakala, baritone, winner of the 2003 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition
Jorma Hynninen, baritone
Soile Isokoski, soprano
Topi Lehtipuu, tenor
Peter Lindroos, tenor (was both a student and teacher at the academy)
Karita Mattila, soprano, winner of the 1983 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition
Jyrki Niskanen, tenor
Arja Saijonmaa, singer
Petteri Salomaa, bass-baritone
Tarja Turunen, soprano, former singer of the symphonic metal band Nightwish
Soila Sariola, singer of the double platinum awarded and multiple gold winning vocal ensemble Rajaton
Matti Salminen, bass
Paula Vesala, singer of PMMP
Martti Wallén, opera singer