University of the Arts Helsinki Wind Instruments Master's Proficiency Demonstration Guide: Level A, S-IYOM_24 and Maturity

Quick answer: what is the Wind Instruments master’s final project?

The University of the Arts Helsinki study option Wind instruments, classical instruments, master belongs to the Sibelius Academy and leads to the Master of Music (MMus) degree. The awarded degree is 150 ECTS with a normative duration of 2.5 years. This is not a standard 30 ECTS written dissertation route. In the current 2026- Study Guide, both Woodwinds, Master of Music, 2026- and Brass, Master of Music, 2026- use a 20 ECTS proficiency-demonstration and maturity package. Woodwinds uses module S-IOP12_26 and Brass uses S-IOV12_26. Both modules contain S-IYOM_24 Proficiency demonstration, classical instrument performance (Master of Music), 20 ECTS, plus the separate 0 ECTS S-KS_24 maturity requirement.

The core final assessment is artistic performance. S-IYOM_24 includes a Level A master’s recital, the related repertoire examination and other instrument-specific requirements. The current Sibelius Academy level-performance guidance also says that for a Level A performance examination, the programme leaflet serves as the maturity test for the master’s thesis project. Students therefore need to treat performance planning, repertoire, programme notes, maturity, registration, rights and graduation as one connected process.

1. Use the Sibelius Academy regime, not a Theatre Academy thesis model

Uniarts Helsinki does not have one universal master’s-thesis structure. The Sibelius Academy itself states that the content, scope and completion method of a thesis project, also called a demonstration of proficiency, vary by degree programme and major subject. That matters here because Wind Instruments is a performance programme, not a Theatre Academy written-thesis programme.

Do not import a 30 ECTS thesis, a 30 to 60 page written component, interview methodology or Theatre Academy examiner rules into Wind Instruments. The exact Study Guide route controls. For the current woodwind and brass curricula, the route is a 20 ECTS proficiency demonstration centred on Level A performance, with a separate 0 ECTS maturity requirement.

2. The degree is 150 ECTS and 2.5 years

Uniarts Helsinki’s current degree information defines the Master of Music as 150 ECTS with a normative duration of 2.5 years. The public Wind Instruments programme page also describes 2.5-year master’s studies.

The current technical Study Guide plans for Woodwinds and Brass display a 125-150 credit range. That technical range must not be converted into a claim that the degree itself is only 125 ECTS. The degree award is 150 ECTS. Students should still use their own PSP in Peppi to see how the exact 150-credit degree is assembled.

3. The public Wind Instruments study option now maps to two current curricula

The public study option covers classical wind instruments, but the current 2026- Study Guide separates the academic structures into Woodwinds, Master of Music, 2026-, programme 25373, code M3OP_2026, and Brass, Master of Music, 2026-, programme 25693, code M3OV_2026.

The public programme page still sends its woodwind and brass course-description buttons to older combined programme 16167, Winds, percussion and Harp, Master of Music, 2024-2026. That creates a real transition issue. The old object remains useful historical evidence, but it is not the controlling current 2026- structure. Students should check the curriculum attached to their own PSP and then use the live Woodwinds or Brass plan.

4. Do not fold percussion or harp into this guide

The older combined curriculum grouped winds, percussion and harp together. The current 2026- Study Guide no longer treats them as one current programme structure. Percussion and Harp have their own current master’s programme objects.

For this Wind Instruments guide, the relevant split is therefore woodwinds versus brass. Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone are handled through the woodwind route. French horn, trumpet, trombone or bass trombone, euphonium or baritone horn and tuba use the brass route. Instrument-specific requirements must remain separate even when the general final-project architecture is shared.

5. The current final-project package is 20 ECTS, not 30 ECTS

In the current Woodwinds 2026- plan, module S-IOP12_26 Proficiency demonstration and maturity essay is 20 ECTS. In the current Brass 2026- plan, the corresponding module is S-IOV12_26, also 20 ECTS.

Both modules contain S-IYOM_24 Proficiency demonstration, classical instrument performance (Master of Music), 20 ECTS. They also contain the separate S-KS_24 Maturity essay (Master’s degree) offering at 0 ECTS. The maturity requirement is required, but it does not add credits on top of the 20 ECTS proficiency demonstration.

6. What S-IYOM_24 is designed to demonstrate

The learning outcome of S-IYOM_24 is broader than simply playing a concert. The student demonstrates that they have reached the capabilities required by their main subject, can apply their learning creatively, can continue developing their skills and has the capability to progress to further studies.

The course content states that the proficiency demonstration includes a Level A master’s recital, the related repertoire examination and other requirements. The exact Level A course description for the student’s instrument therefore becomes essential. It determines the concrete repertoire, duration, practical components and assessment method.

7. All other PSP studies are a prerequisite

The S-IYOM_24 course card lists all other studies included in the student’s individual study plan as a qualification. Current level-performance guidance also says that when a performance forms part of a bachelor’s or master’s proficiency demonstration, a planning officer verifies the necessary prerequisites.

Students should therefore avoid treating the final recital as an isolated concert that can be completed independently of degree progress. The safe sequence is to keep the PSP current, check missing studies early, and coordinate the Level A timing with the planning officer and subject-area staff.

8. Level A is the compulsory master’s performance examination

Current Sibelius Academy guidance identifies Level A as the compulsory master’s-level performance examination in classical instruments. Level A and Level B performance examinations are public events and must be completed within the target duration of the degree.

For Wind Instruments, Level A is normally the artistic centre of the proficiency demonstration. However, the exact route is not identical across instruments. Woodwind descriptions reviewed use a relatively common recital structure, while brass descriptions use more explicit multi-part examinations.

9. Woodwind Level A normally uses an approximately 60-minute recital

The current Level A descriptions reviewed for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone use a closely aligned completion model. Students rehearse and perform repertoire during each academic year as agreed with their teacher and then complete a Level A master’s recital comprising about 60 minutes of music.

The programme must be artistically coherent and show a varied profile of the student’s musical and technical skills. It must include a sonata, concerto or another extensive work. Some performance from memory is recommended. Spoken introductions are possible, and the recital may include elements from other branches of the arts.

10. Woodwind students prepare programme notes and a programme leaflet

The reviewed woodwind Level A course descriptions require writing programme notes and creating programme leaflets. This written work is not simply promotional material. Current Sibelius Academy level-performance guidance states that for Level A examinations, the programme leaflet serves as the maturity test for the master’s thesis project.

That gives the leaflet formal academic importance. Students should check facts, names, work titles, sources and language carefully, and should handle copyright for images and text before the registration deadline.

11. Woodwind Level A cards reviewed display Pass-Fail

The current flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone Level A course cards reviewed display Pass - Fail. The shared S-IYOM_24 proficiency-demonstration card also displays Pass - Fail.

This must not be turned into a universal statement about all Wind Instruments assessment. The reviewed brass Level A cards use a different instrument-level assessment scale, so the woodwind and brass layers must be described separately.

12. Brass Level A is a multi-part examination

The reviewed French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium and tuba Level A descriptions use a more explicit multi-part route. The exact practical material differs by instrument, but the common pattern is a practical or concerto/orchestral-repertoire component followed by a Level A master’s recital.

For the brass cards reviewed, the recital is normally 40-60 minutes. At least half of the recital duration must consist of Level A repertoire, the programme must include at least one extensive work, and one selection may be a chamber-music work. Some performance from memory is recommended.

13. The brass practical part comes before the master’s recital

The reviewed brass descriptions require the first practical part to be completed before the Level A master’s recital. The exact requirement differs by instrument. French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium and tuba each have their own specified concerto material and orchestral-excerpt requirements.

Students should not copy another brass instrument’s repertoire list. The live Level A card for the exact instrument controls. This is especially important for bass trombone or specialised repertoire situations where a general trombone summary may not capture the student’s route.

14. Reviewed brass Level A components use a 0-5 scale

The reviewed brass Level A course cards state 0-5 assessment for their component examinations. Current Sibelius Academy jury guidance says the grading method and scale for a level performance examination are recorded in the curriculum course description.

At the same time, the shared 20 ECTS S-IYOM_24 proficiency demonstration card displays Pass - Fail. These are different assessment records and should not be collapsed into one invented universal grade. Students should confirm what is recorded for their instrument-level examination and what is recorded for the overall proficiency-demonstration unit.

15. French horn illustrates why instrument-specific checking matters

The current French horn Level A description includes a practical-skills section with specified concerto material and 10 orchestral extracts, followed by the Level A recital. The recital is 40-60 minutes under the reviewed description. Brass students also need the required written assessments from matinee performances when registering.

This is a good example of why an umbrella Wind Instruments guide cannot substitute for the exact instrument card. The programme guide explains the process, but the live course description defines the examinable material.

16. Trumpet, trombone, euphonium and tuba have different practical details

Trumpet requires its own instrument and orchestral preparation, including specified concerto material and orchestral extracts. Trombone and euphonium also have instrument-specific concerto and orchestral-extract requirements. Tuba has its own concerto requirement and a different orchestral-extract count in the current reviewed card.

The safe rule is simple: use the article for architecture, timing and administration, but use the current instrument card for repertoire and exact practical examination content.

17. Start the programme leaflet at least 10 weeks before Level A

Current Sibelius Academy classical performance guidance tells students to prepare the programme leaflet at least 10 weeks before the examination. For Level A, the leaflet serves as the maturity test for the master’s thesis project.

This lead time is useful because the student also needs to verify instrument-specific repertoire rules, programme approval, copyright for text and images, sheet-music rights, ensemble information, instrument requirements and technical needs before the examination registration becomes final.

18. Register through Taito after the examination date is known

Once the examination date has been communicated or agreed, the student registers in the Taito portal. Under the current general rule, the data and attachments are submitted no later than 8 weeks before a normal Level A examination. If the examination is held outside the Sibelius Academy, the current guide uses a shorter minimum registration lead of 4 weeks.

These are procedural lead times, not permanent annual dates. Autumn and spring examination calendars change, so students should check the live Sibelius Academy page in every cycle.

19. Woodwind registration has a specific duration requirement

Current registration guidance specifically says woodwind musicians must include the durations of the works in their registration information. The programme and ensemble details are sent to the examination committee and published on the university website.

The programme leaflet, Taito data and actual recital plan should therefore agree. Last-minute inconsistencies in work titles, composers, performers or timing can create avoidable administrative problems.

20. Brass registration includes repertoire and matinee documents

Current registration guidance requires brass students to provide a file covering the repertoire rehearsed during their studies. For Level A, brass students must also include four written assessments of matinee performances.

This requirement is consistent with the reviewed brass Level A descriptions. It should not be imposed on woodwind students unless the student’s exact course description or current department instructions separately require the same documentation.

21. The maturity requirement is 0 ECTS but compulsory

Both current 2026- Woodwinds and Brass structures include the 0 ECTS S-KS_24 Maturity essay (Master’s degree) offering. Current language-specific course units include Finnish, Swedish and English variants. The English unit is S-KS9123_26, and its course card displays Pass - Fail.

Zero credits does not mean optional. The maturity requirement must be completed before graduation. Students should ensure that the correct maturity course appears in their own degree structure and that the recorded language variant matches their educational background.

22. The Level A programme leaflet is the route-specific maturity mechanism

General Uniarts maturity guidance says Sibelius Academy students should follow the completion method stated for their degree programme or major. The current dedicated classical level-performance guide is more specific for this route: it states that the programme leaflet serves as the maturity test for a master’s thesis project.

A separate four-hour remote maturity test exists in some Sibelius Academy contexts, but it should not automatically be imposed on the Level A wind route when the current route-specific guide gives a leaflet-based maturity mechanism. If Peppi or the student’s planning officer shows a different implementation for a particular case, that current programme-specific instruction should control.

23. Maturity language depends on the student’s background

Uniarts Helsinki explains that the maturity requirement is connected both to knowledge of the thesis or proficiency-demonstration subject and to language obligations. Students educated in Finnish or Swedish may have statutory language requirements. A student who already demonstrated the relevant Finnish or Swedish proficiency at bachelor level normally does not repeat that language demonstration at master’s level.

For students whose school-education language is not Finnish or Swedish, the maturity language is normally linked to the language of the thesis or project unless another language is approved. Because the current Study Guide offers English, Finnish and Swedish maturity units, students should choose the correct variant through their own degree structure rather than assume one rule for all international students.

24. Programme approval is not solely the student’s own decision

The current Taito process asks for the professor or examination-committee chair who approves the Level A programme. Students do not simply decide the final programme alone. The appropriate approver checks the submitted programme details, and students may be asked to supplement the registration if something needs correction.

If an examination must be arranged outside official examination dates, special procedures apply and the student may need to contact a chair. That exception should not be confused with normal scheduled examinations.

25. The student does not assemble the normal examination committee

The current Sibelius Academy jury decision states that committee members and chairs are appointed through academy or department processes. Study Services normally assembles and convenes the committee. The normal committee has a chair plus one to three members, subject to the annual committee decision and conflict-of-interest rules.

One member may be the student’s own instrument teacher under the current rules, but disqualification rules still apply. Students are explicitly not allowed to participate in assembling the committee.

26. Assessment and feedback follow the jury procedure

After the performance, the committee evaluates the examination and holds a feedback discussion. The student may receive oral feedback and can request written feedback under the current jury framework. Current performance guidance also allows the student to record the feedback for personal use.

For multi-part examinations, each relevant partial performance must be approved. The jury decision also provides a process for retaking failed level performances or partial performances, so a failed component is handled through the official assessment process rather than informal replacement work.

27. Hall rehearsal time is part of the registration process

The current performance guide asks students to suggest hall-rehearsal times through the registration form. For a normal Level A performance examination, the hall-rehearsal allowance is twice the duration of the examination repertoire. For a Level A examination using an orchestra, the current guide states four times the repertoire duration.

These numbers concern hall rehearsal booking. They are not private instrument-tuition hours and must not be presented as thesis-supervision hours.

28. Public-performance and recording rules matter

Level A examinations are public. Public Level A and B examinations are added to the Uniarts Helsinki event calendar, and performances at the Music Centre may also appear on the venue website. The current guide states that concert hall attendants handle recordings for Level A and B examinations, and students receive a time-limited download link afterward.

A recording of the examination is therefore part of the operational process, but students should not promise permanent public availability. Any reuse of recordings must respect rights and the university’s current instructions.

29. Copyright applies to leaflets, scores, arrangements and public performance

The current guide explicitly tells students to respect copyright when using images and text in the programme leaflet. Students are normally responsible for purchasing sheet music. If an arrangement, adaptation or partial score use requires permission, the student must contact the relevant publisher about rights and fees.

After a public Level A or B concert, if copyrighted music has been performed, the current guide requires the student to send the relevant performance information to the Sibelius Academy’s Teosto contact. Copyright planning therefore belongs before registration, not after the recital.

30. Do not duplicate repertoire from a chamber-music examination

Current registration guidance states that the same repertoire cannot be used both in a level performance examination and a chamber-music examination. Students should compare the planned Level A programme against other assessed repertoire before programme approval.

This matters particularly where a brass recital includes a chamber-music work. The fact that a chamber-music item is allowed within the Level A programme does not allow the same assessed repertoire to be reused in another examination.

31. Written-thesis deadline tables do not automatically apply to Wind Instruments

The Sibelius Academy thesis-project page publishes a submission timetable for written master’s theses in named programmes such as Arts Management, Music Business, Church Music and Music Education. Wind Instruments is not listed in that written-thesis deadline table.

Do not copy one of those written-thesis submission dates and present it as a Wind Instruments recital deadline. Wind students should use the current Level A examination schedule, the Taito registration lead times and any direct department communication.

32. Taju is conditional on an actual written thesis component

Sibelius Academy’s general thesis guidance says that written components related to thesis projects must also be stored in the Taju repository. The current Wind Instruments route, however, is a performance-centred proficiency demonstration with a programme-leaflet maturity mechanism rather than a conventional long written thesis.

Therefore, do not tell every Wind Instruments student to upload a dissertation to Taju by default. If a student’s exact curriculum or an individually approved project contains a written component that falls under the repository rule, the live Study Guide and library instructions should be followed for that component.

33. Weekly instrument tuition is not a thesis-supervision rule

The public programme page describes 90 minutes of one-to-one instrument instruction per week. This is part of the wider master’s study environment. It is not evidence of a fixed number of proficiency-demonstration supervision hours.

Masterclasses, orchestra studies, chamber music, pedagogy and optional studies may all support the student’s artistic development, but they should not automatically be counted inside the 20 ECTS proficiency-demonstration package unless the current curriculum explicitly places them there.

34. A practical Level A timeline

A safe sequence is to confirm the current Woodwinds or Brass curriculum in the PSP, identify the exact Level A card for the instrument, complete the remaining prerequisite studies, coordinate the examination date, shape the repertoire with the teacher, start the programme leaflet at least ten weeks before the examination, collect the required instrument-specific attachments, and submit Taito registration by the applicable deadline.

After registration, the student should resolve programme approval, rights, ensemble and equipment needs, complete any brass practical component required before the recital, perform the public Level A examination, complete the maturity requirement through the programme-leaflet route, receive assessment and feedback, and then confirm that the proficiency demonstration and all other degree studies are correctly recorded.

35. Graduation requires the approved final project, maturity and all studies

Current Sibelius Academy graduation guidance says that a student can apply for the degree certificate when the thesis project or demonstration of proficiency has been approved, the maturity test has been completed, and all studies required for the degree are complete. The student must also be registered as attending during the academic term in which the degree is conferred.

Graduation application deadlines change by term. Students should use the current Sibelius Academy graduation calendar instead of copying one semester’s dates into a long-term thesis plan.

36. Final Wind Instruments checklist

Before the final process, confirm that you are using the correct Woodwinds 2026-, Brass 2026- or applicable transition curriculum; your Master of Music degree plan reaches the required 150 ECTS; the final module and S-IYOM_24 still match your PSP; the Level A card is for your exact instrument; woodwind and brass grading have not been mixed up; all prerequisite studies are complete; the examination date is confirmed; the programme leaflet is started at least ten weeks before; the correct maturity-language variant is selected; repertoire meets the instrument-specific rules; required woodwind durations or brass repertoire and matinee documents are ready; Taito registration is on time; programme approval is obtained; copyright and arrangement permissions are handled; rehearsal and technical needs are declared; any required brass practical part is completed before the recital; and graduation is requested only after the proficiency demonstration, maturity requirement and all degree studies are complete.

The central principle is simple: Wind Instruments uses a performance-based Master of Music final assessment, not a generic written-thesis template. The strongest current guide keeps the 150 ECTS degree, the 20 ECTS proficiency-demonstration architecture, the 2026 Woodwind/Brass split, the programme-leaflet maturity requirement and the exact instrument-specific Level A rules separate and explicit.