Teaching popular music in Finland: what's up, what's ahead?

This article describes the history and current situation of popular music pedagogy in Finland. While popular music is widely accepted in the curriculum, there are differences in its application in the comprehensive schools and music institutions. Popular styles were first introduced into Finnish music education by secondary school music teachers; however, today the most rapid development in the field appears to be taking place in the professional schools of music. Some aspects and future possibilities of popular music education are examined, with a suggestion that there is more work ahead in the field of general music education. For instance, the didactic implications of different learning cultures of popular music and the musical understandings and practices prevalent in ‘urban’ and ‘electronic’ styles present new challenges for traditionally trained music educators, even those with a popular music background.