Joutsenon Art Summer Singing week
26 - 29 July 2026
High-quality teaching, the inspiring and communal atmosphere of the Singing Week, and the institute's summer milieu on the shores of Lake Saimaa provide an excellent setting for a successful course week. All teaching, training, concert and accommodation facilities can be conveniently found in the courtyard of the institute. The training facilities are freely available to the course participants around the clock. Welcome to the traditional song week of the Joutseno Art Summer!
From autumn 2024 onwards, the artistic directors of the Singing Week will be pianists Pia Värri and Juho Alakärppä. The artistic directors are responsible for planning the teaching and other content of the Song Week together with Joutseno College.
Vocal masterclass with Valérie Guillorit
26.-29.7.2026
Valérie Guillorit taught at the Amsterdam Conservatory until 2017 before opening her classes at the CNSMDP in Paris, the KCB in Brussels, and the Maîtrise Notre Dame de Paris. She is a guest at numerous masterclasses such as URIM in Brussels, the Summer Music Academy in Nice, the Hochschule in Leipzig, Germany, the Conservatory of Barcelona, Spain, Montreal in Canada, Jyväskylä in Finland, and the Huanglong Festival in China.
Applications for the masterclass can be sent by advanced singers. The repertoire on the course is decided by the student. The course consists of daily invidual lessons (4 x 45 minutes) and correpetition (4 x 15 minutes). Eight singers will be admitted to the course
The pianist on the course is Joel Papinoja.
Course fee
A-price 599 € (lessons and accommodation with full board in a single room)
B-price 560 € (lessons and accommodation with full board in a shared twin room)
C-price 495 € (lessons, lunch and day coffee)
Application period 1 February - 12 May 2026
Applicants for the masterclass will also be asked to provide a voice sample in connection with their application. Attach a link to a video or audio recording on the application form, behind which you will find one aria and lied of your choice. You can also send the link by email to taidekesa(at)joutsenonopisto.fi by 11 May.
The choices will be announced within two weeks after the application period has ended.
Singing course 26-31 July 2026
A course in vocal technique and interpretation, lied and opera
Teachers
Reetta Haavisto, Outi Kähkönen, Jenni Lättilä, Lasse Penttinen, Ulla Raiskio and Nicholas Söderlund
The singing course is primarily intended for professional singing students, but it is also suitable for dedicated amateurs.
The programme includes a daily 30-minute singing lesson with your assigned teacher, group lessons in lied, and work with a pianist who will accompany you as a duo partner. The course week also includes several additional courses open to all participants of the singing week.
During the week, two course concerts will be organised, as well as a teachers’ concert and a Young Singers scholarship concert
Course fee
A price: €627 (tuition and full-board accommodation in a single room)
B price: €597 (tuition and full-board accommodation in a double room)
C price: €470 (tuition, lunch, and afternoon coffee)
The teachers will select participants after the application period ends. All applicants will be notified of the selection results by email approximately two weeks after the application deadline. Accepted participants will receive a course letter containing detailed instructions, and singing course participants will also receive a payment link for the course fee.
Accompaniment course 26 - 31 July 2026
Lied and opera course for pianists
Teachers
Juho Alakärppä and Pia Värri
The accompaniment course cooperates with the singing course. Pianists receive tuition in group lessons and act as duo partners for 3–4 singers. It is also possible to apply without having one's “own” singer to accompany.
The course is intended especially for students in professional training or young professional musicians.
For pianists, the course is free of charge. The course fee is compensated through accompaniment work.
Course fee
The course is free for pianists. Accommodation type can be selected on the application form.
Application period 1 February - 11 May 2026
The teachers will select participants after the application period ends. All applicants will be notified of the selection results by email approximately two weeks after the application deadline. Accepted participants will receive a course letter containing detailed instructions.
Additional courses during the course week
The programme also includes optional additional courses that all participants of the course week may enrol in. These additional courses are also open to participants not attending the singing courses.
Registration for the additional courses is done via the singing course application form.
If you wish to enrol only in an additional course as an external participant, please contact the office at:
taidekesa@joutsenonopisto.fi or +358 45 844 2993.
Phonetics 28–29 July
Teacher: Juha Karvonen
Small groups of four participants will be formed, each receiving 60 minutes of instruction. Participants may bring a song or songs to work on; approximately 15 minutes of coaching will be reserved per student.
Languages taught: Swedish, German, French, English, Italian, and Spanish.
The course also includes a public lecture on Wednesday.
Juha Karvonen, baritone (vocal pedagogue, M.A.), is a lecturer of singing at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, where he teaches singing, vocal pedagogy, lied, and foreign language phonetics. He also teaches phonetics and vocal pedagogy at the Sibelius Academy and works as a French language coach at the Finnish National Opera.
Price: €25
Expression and Interpretation 27–28 July
Teacher: Ella Pyhältö
Small groups will be formed for expression coaching. In addition to group exercises, each participant receives individual guidance on their own interpretation.
Length of each group session: 2 × 60 minutes.
The course also includes a public lecture on Monday evening.
Ella Pyhältö is a freelance actor and recital artist who has performed at the Finnish National Theatre, Suomen Komediateatteri, Teatteri Avoimet Ovet, Koko-teatteri, Teatteri Jurkka, Valtimonteatteri and KOM-Theatre. She also directs theatre for children and youth, as well as spoken-word performers.
In addition to theatre, she has worked extensively as a voice actor in hundreds of animated films and series. Pyhältö has also appeared in Finnish TV series such as Salatut elämät and Syke. She is the Chair of the Finnish Reciters’ Association.
Price: €35
Opera Aria Course 26–29 July
Antti Suhonen and pianist Tero Valtonen will lead a four-day aria course focusing on deepening knowledge of opera repertoire.
Participants bring two arias that they have already begun working on. The course includes 2 × 30 minutes of instruction.
Participants will be selected based on applications.
Price: €60
