Community music groups and events for everyone from babies to seniors
Would you like to try a musical hobby, or are you interested in singing or playing an instrument? Did you know that the library offers many ways to experience music?
At the libraries, you can play instruments and sing in low-threshold community music groups. The groups are free and open to anyone interested in playing music. Music activities at the library are based on community pedagogy, where everyone can participate according to their own abilities. The goal is to activate, encourage, inspire, and engage. Espoo City Library offers, among other things, beginner and advanced ukulele groups, baby music classes, drum jams, and group singing.
Participatory musical experiences for families with babies and children
Music sessions for young children provide a fun shared activity for adults and children. Baby music classes are held about once a month at several libraries throughout Espoo; advance registration is required for these classes. And the library even has its own band. The children’s music orchestra Svengaavat hirvet organizes participatory concerts for daycare centers as well as open concerts for anyone interested in children’s music.
Band Workshops for Teens
A songwriting workshop for teens will be held in the youth area of the Tapiola Library. The workshop will use iPads and synthesizers as tools. Participants will also write lyrics for the beats and songs they create. No prior knowledge or experience in songwriting is required.
Singing bowl relaxation as a counterbalance to everyday life
Once a month, Lippulaiva Library hosts a deep relaxation session where participants lie down or sit on yoga mats and listen to the beautiful sounds of singing bowls. The library’s music educator, Sakari Heikka, uses about 25 different instruments to create a soundscape that promotes relaxation and can open the door to new insights and renewal.
Brain Training, body control and sing-along
Brain Training and Body Control combine a variety of physical exercises with rhythmic music into a seamless whole that invigorates both the mind and the body. The exercises develop body control, balance, coordination, and memory in a relaxed and encouraging atmosphere. Whether you’re an experienced exerciser or a beginner, this series of events offers you a new way to move, relax, and challenge yourself.
Led by music educators, the sing-along sessions feature familiar Finnish songs and discussions about the memories they evoke. Between songs, the conversation is accompanied by old archival photos from Espoo and elsewhere in Finland that match the songs’ themes. The lyrics and archival photos are projected onto a screen during the event.
The stage is open at musicfestival!
Held twice a year, in the spring and fall, the Sello Library’s Musicfestival events offer library patrons the chance to perform. Both musicians just starting out and more experienced artists are welcome to perform at the festivals. The event has a communal and supportive atmosphere, and music serves as a unifying force. Registration for the festivals opens about a month before the event.
Library spaces and equipment for making music
Libraries offer practice rooms and studios for a wide range of musical activities. Different types of activities are accommodated in slightly different spaces. At the Lippulaiva Library, you’ll find karaoke; at the Entresse Jukebox music room, acoustic drums and other band instruments; at Sello, a grand piano; and at Tapiola, Sello, and Iso Omena, studios for practicing and recording music.
You can also borrow instruments from the libraries to take home. You can borrow guitars, banjos, and ukuleles to take home. A new addition is sound bowls that can also be borrowed. Please check the helmet.fi website to see which library has what. Instruments must be returned to the library from which you borrowed them. In addition, the library offers a comprehensive collection of sheet music and music literature. The main music section of Espoo’s libraries is located at the Tapiola Library.
You can find all music events on the Music Groups and Events at Espoo City Library page.
Lifelong learning is the second key objective in the Espoo City Library’s strategy for 2024–2030. Learning takes place, among other things, through the library’s diverse range of events. The library also offers the opportunity to try out music-related events and activities free of charge.