From February 17 to 21, 2025, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki became a hub of creativity, collaboration, and musical exploration as it hosted this year’s METRIC Intensive Programme (IP). Bringing together students and teachers from across Europe, the event was a vibrant celebration of improvisation in higher music education.
Organised with warm hospitality and impeccable efficiency by the team at Sibelius Academy—including teachers Libero Mureddu and Veli Kujala, the production team, the International Relations Office, the sound-light-video engineers, and ushers; this edition of METRIC was a resounding success. Participants immersed themselves in a rich five-day programme featuring diverse workshops, lectures and performing opportunities all aimed at deepening their understanding of improvisation across styles and traditions.
© Maarit Kytöharju
A Deep Dive into Improvisation
This year’s METRIC IP featured an inspiring line-up of sessions, including:
- Morning workshops led by educators belonging to the METRIC Member Institutions, guiding students through a variety of improvisation approaches and techniques —from tonal and modal improvisation to free improvisation, experimental approaches, performance art and electroacoustic improvisation.
- Afternoon lectures: The sessions covered a broad spectrum of topics, from historical perspectives on improvisation and its impact on contemporary performance practice to style-based improvisation in Finnish folk music. Participants explored the relationship between improvisation, composition, and sensory-motor dialogue, while global traditions were highlighted through Persian Santoor improvisation and improvisational practices in global art music.
The programme also emphasised collaborative and interactive approaches, including improvised choral music, the role of piano interactions, the use of technology to explore the domain between improvisation and composition, and the value of artistic expression in community engagement. Each lecture provided a unique lens through which students and educators could expand their understanding of improvisation across cultures, disciplines, and professional contexts.
- Evening concerts, where participants showcased their creativity in performances in various halls at Musiikkitalo as well as one evening at the Wine Café Feeniks to allow the students to experience performing in different, both formal and informal, settings. To foster artistic collaboration and networking, a special pop-up concert brought together METRIC teachers and members of Finland’s improvisational and experimental music community at Äänen Lumo’s Toinen kerros venue.
A key highlight of this year’s edition was the warm engagement of the local Finnish audience, who attended the concerts and embraced the power of improvised music. One of METRIC’s next goals is to bring improvisation closer to local communities, and seeing this exchange come to life in Helsinki was truly rewarding.
© Maarit Kytöharju
What is METRIC?
METRIC (Modernising European Higher Music Education through Improvisation) is a cooperative network of leading European conservatoires, coordinated by the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC). The network is committed to strengthening the role of improvisation in music education, fostering collaboration, and inspiring both students and educators to explore new creative possibilities.
Each year, the METRIC Intensive Programme gathers participants for five days of hands-on learning, encouraging cross-border exchange and artistic exploration. Through its joint European modules, research initiatives, and dedicated online resources, METRIC continues to shape the future of improvisation teaching and practice.
Voices from METRIC 2025
Students left Helsinki feeling inspired:
“The energy you get when so many people excited about the same thing gather together for a week is really inspiring. Everyone was eager to share their music with each other, and I got to improvise and perform with so many new people. What an opportunity to learn from the brilliant teachers and from each other!”
"The most important thing for me was the connection with the people and the safe space that we all created on the first day. I usually cannot improvise with everyone, but with the people who came to the METRIC project, it was so easy and so inspiring for my artistic career. I had a wonderful time and I hope that I will be able to have another experience like this in the future"
“METRIC 2025 was such a beautiful space of collaboration with so many energetic people studying all over Europe on similar creative journeys. I left feeling inspired by so many different approaches to music-making and connection. A huge thank you!”
“I would say that in the METRIC’s Intensive Program, improvisation really pulls you out of any comfort zone you think you have. You unlearn stuff, and all that's left is just being your real, authentic self. My teammates show up as their true selves too, and that makes me feel capable, like my voice actually matters.”
Reflecting on the success of the event, Jeroen Malaise – Chair of METRIC Steering Committee shared:
“After a wonderful week of adventurous experiences, the teachers and students of the METRIC network once again demonstrated their unique value and great achievements in exploring music improvisation. This whole event would not have been possible without the outstanding professional support and organization of the Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Finland.”
Looking Ahead
With another unforgettable edition behind us, the METRIC network looks forward to revisiting its original goals while evolving in response to the current landscape of improvisation in Higher Music Education across Europe, as well as the evolving needs of the profession.
The next edition of the METRIC Intensive Programme is planned to take place at the beginning of March 2026 at the Musikhochschule Lübeck in Lübeck, Germany.
For more details on METRIC and its initiatives, please contact AEC’s Communication Manager Alessandra Callegari – alessandracallegari@aec-music.eu
