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Guidance for the Sibelius Academy students

Navigators and Bridge-Building events support you when you are lost with your studies. Navigators offer easy-access guidance in addition to the guidance provided by Study Services.

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Besides university-level wellbeing services, support is available from the Sibelius-Academy’s tailored services.

Guidance and support at the Sibelius Academy

Bridge-building events and navigators support guidance

The guidance of Sibelius Academy students will be strengthened in two different ways in the academic year 2025–2026. The activities are aimed at all students of the Sibelius Academy and aim to support students’ well-being, study planning, working life knowledge and graduation.​  

Bridge-building events

At Bridge-Building events, you can drop by briefly or stay as long as you like.  You’ll meet other members of the community, gain fresh ideas for your studies, and get answers to your questions. 

You’ll also get to know other guidance and wellbeing services offered by Uniarts. 

These events are designed for students and other members of the community. In the 2025–2026 school year, the themes of the Bridge Building events are: 

Save the dates now! The programme of the events will be updated in Students’ uniarts and they will be announced in weekly newsletters. 

Meet the navigators

The Navigators are instructors who are part of the staff of the Sibelius Academy. They offer low-threshold guidance to all Sibelius Academy students, in addition to other available support services. 

You can turn to a Navigator for help, for example with wellbeing, study planning or written assignments. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them! 

Wellbeing

Jennifer Moir 

A lecturer in Global Music Studies, passionate about helping students help themselves!  

I teach the following courses: Project Sing: community through choral art and choral art through community, The Whole Singer, Inspiration Course in Global Choir Leadership, Mentoring and wellbeing studies, individual lessons/coaching for singers and choir leaders. I also work on Student Guidance and Orientation teams at Sibelius Academy.  

What kind of guidance do I offer?

Wellbeing for students:  

  • Use your internal compass to help navigate your study/work life  
  • Develop your toolkit for solution focussed problem solving 

Format and schedule of guidance

  • Small group workshops with time for self-reflection and discussion. 
  • These workshops offer students a chance to participate in a research development  
  • project designed to study the impact of self-reflection tools in study guidance (participation in the research project is optional).  
  • 3 x 1 hour sessions first semester
  • 3 x 1 hour sessions second semester 
  • Times to be decided as a small group 
  • Live meetings preferred, online as needed 

How to get Jennifer’s guidance

  • Language: English
  • Contact: jennifer.moir@uniarts.fi  

Liisa Lauerma

I am a Study Administration Planner at the Sibelius Academy (pedagogical and wellbeing studies) and I have extensive experience in advising and guiding students in different degree programmes. I am also a literary therapy instructor and have written books.  

What kind of guidance do I offer?

I will guide you through writing exercises that you can incorporate into your everyday life. The exercises serve as a tool for clarifying your own goals. By writing, you examine your values, your artistry and strengthen your self-knowledge. At the same time, you feed your creativity by playing with words. By writing to yourself, you feel how you are doing today. You don’t need any previous writing experience.  

Format and schedule of guidance

  • Small group meetings on Thursdays at 15-17 30.10., 6.11., 20.11. N-K70. Enroll by October 23.

How to get Liisa’s guidance

Are you considering working life and freelance music?

Elina Arlin

I work as a Senior Lecturer in Pop/Jazz Singing in the Music education degree programme. I teach both individual and group singing lessons. In addition, I am an active freelance musician, performing as a soloist with various ensembles and in vocal groups. I also compose and arrange music for my own folk/poetry ensemble Einoa. I have worked as an entrepreneur in the music field for over 15 years.

What kind of guidance do I offer?

I have experience in combining teaching and performing, and I am happy to support students in reflecting on how to balance these two career paths. I also offer guidance on working alongside studies and on clarifying future directions. I see myself as a sounding board and sparring partner for students’ thoughts and plans.

My mentoring approach is based on open-ended questions. Instead of giving ready-made answers, I help students find their own solutions through reflection. This way, they can discover the strategies and insights that best suit them personally.

Format and schedule of guidance

  • Individual sessions, 1–3 times as needed (45–60 min per session)
  • Sessions are primarily held online on Thursdays or Fridays

How to get Elina’s guidance

Are you considering how to set priorities within your studies or professional development?

Anna Rombach

In addition to my work as an orchestra planning officer, I have experience as a freelance orchestra musician, teacher, producer and conductor. I moved to Finland from Austria in 2004, so I also familiar with what it means to adjust to a new culture. I am currently studying to expand my skillset in solution-focused brief therapy and organizational constellation.

What kind of guidance do I offer?

Are you considering how to set priorities within your studies or professional development? We can discuss your personal goals, any aspect connected to the theme which is most important to you at the time of our session. I won’t be offering any ready solutions, but I can listen, share my own experience and possibly point you to some new sources of information. Often, talking about your thoughts can already help to clarify your ideas and goals.  

Format and schedule of guidance

I am offering one-on-one navigation sessions (á 25 min) to students via zoom (1-4 sessions).

In addition to one-on-one sessions, I am offering a workshop: “Improving your self-awareness to support your studies” on 4.12.2025 at 5-7pm at room S3101 (Musiikkitalo).
Registration info for the workshop will be sent via email.

Workshop themes: Deepening your self-awareness; Recognizing your own needs and typical behaviors; Effective self-leadership.

How to get Anna’s guidance

Kaisa Holopainen

I am a program head responsible for conducting orchestra and choir activities, and joint studies. During my career, I have also worked as a freelance musician, in production and marketing in the orchestra field, as a instrument teacher, and in teaching development and evaluation projects. In addition to music, I have studied a wide range of subjects, including social sciences, educational administration, and management. My strength lies in my diverse experience outside the field of music.

What kind of guidance do I offer?

Personal guidance meetings as needed, 1–3 times.

How to get Kaisa’s guidance

Minna Kangas

Picture: Jaakko Uljas

I am a lecturer in Baroque violin music in the Early Music Department. I teach Baroque violin and viola, as well as chamber music, and I often play in larger orchestral productions myself. I also work as a freelance musician in Finland and internationally. My work as a musician, violinist, baroque violinist, and teacher is varied, ranging from musicals and studios to festivals, churches, music school projects, and concert stages. 

What kind of guidance do I offer?

Have you lost your focus? Do you feel that you are playing the role of a bystander in your studies? You succeeded, but you didn’t get noticed? You are welcome to come and talk with me about your situation and anything related to your studies and future.   

In my own life and with the young adults in my family, I have gone through issues related to studying and working, recovery, commitment, strengths, areas for development, work-life balance, scheduling, and so on.     

I will listen to you and gladly help you explore different options and the opportunities that support them. 

Format and schedule of guidance

  • Individual sessions, 1–3 times as needed (30–60 min per session) 
  • Sessions are held live or remotely at a mutually agreed time 

Send an email or call, tell me about your situation, and we will find a time that suits us both.

How to get Minna’s guidance

Do you find it difficult to start written assignments? Is your thesis stagnant?

Heidi Henriikka Mäkelä

I work as a lecturer in folk music, and my background is both a musician (M.A.) and a researcher (Ph.D., docent). My scientific dissertation (University of Helsinki, 2017) dealt with contemporary folk music and rune singing. Nowadays, I study, among other things, the processes related to intangible cultural heritage in Finland, and everything related to folk songs and music is close to my heart. At the Sibelius Academy, I teach research and knowledge subjects. I like literature, old buildings, autumn and interesting discussions. I love writing, but sometimes my own poetry vein dries up and writing doesn’t flow.

What kind of guidance do I offer?

I offer a workshop for undergraduate and postgraduate degree students, which delves into, for example, writing jams, scheduling assignments that require writing, and the problems of procrastination. These are common challenges in writing, and ways can be found to solve them. In the workshop, the focus does not necessarily have to be on producing a research or thesis text, but also on any other written assignment.

Format and schedule of guidance

Guidance is face-to-face work in a small group of three to four people. The workshops include short introductions, discussion and writing. The group meets twice in the autumn and twice in the spring. You can join either every time or only in the autumn or spring. The meeting times are as follows:

  • Mon 20.10. at 15–16.30 M-talo
  • Mon 8.12. at 15–16.30 M-talo
  • Thu 5 Feb at 15–16.30 M-talo
  • Thu 9 April at 15–16.30 M-building

How to get Heidi’s guidance

  • Sign up using the webropol form
  • Language: Finnish and English. Swedish texts are also acceptable, although the guidance in Swedish may be a bit faltering!

Other guidance services offered by the university

  • Study psychologists and the university chaplain offer personal support in matters related to students’ well-being. You can book an appointment with them, for example, due to the workload of your studies or personal challenges. Learn more about the services of study psychologists and a university chaplain 
  • The guide supporting personal well-being in studies is a comprehensive website where students can find tips and tools for improving their own coping and study techniques. Read the guide to supporting your own well-being 
  • Working life studies support students in preparing for working life. Among other things, courses on creative career planning and practical working life skills are offered. You can find the courses in the study guide. 
  • Art Pro Finland is a material bank maintained by Uniarts Helsinki, where students and artists can find learning materials and support related to working life. Go to Art Pro Finland 
  • The career readiness self-Assessment tool allows students to assess their own capabilities and plan their future studies and careers.   
  • The Uniarts Hub pre-incubator programme provides a comprehensive view of business activities in the arts and creative industries and helps you develop your own business idea. Read more about Uniarts Hub