Not sure which way to take your career in the music industry and how to take the next step?
The Rhythm Academy music industry mentoring service provides an opportunity to develop and hone your skills and strengths with the help of seasoned music professionals. Mentoring is a process and collaborative relationship which enhances and supports the mentee’s skills, learning and professional growth, and provides new perspectives on career planning.
Mentoring is carried out in small groups of 3 to 4 mentees, who meet with the mentor approximately once a month during a six-month period. Small group mentoring is a personalised and fruitful approach for receiving guidance and insight from both a music industry professional and your peer mentees.
The content of the mentoring process is determined by the mentees’ questions, their areas of interest and goals. The mentoring service is arranged according to the participants’ needs with different music industry professionals as instructors.
Course objectives
Setting goals and striving towards them, committing to the process, and open and confidential interaction are the key elements of mentoring. The participants are expected to commit to the process and take active steps to further their careers in between mentoring sessions. The participants’ progress is monitored and possible challenges discussed in the monthly meetings.
Mentoring is for you if you need:
Help to crystallise, recognise and develop your skills, strengths and goals
Confidence and courage in what you’re doing
Career coaching
New perspectives
Meetings and schedules
Each mentor has their own course schedule for arranging meetings. Mentoring is carried out predominantly in the form of Zoom meetings. Please see further details on schedules and meetings in the mentor presentations.
The course is free of charge at the pilot stage, and is primarily aimed at people living in the Southern Ostrobothnia area. As the course is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), participants are required to fill in monitoring and feedback forms related to ESF projects.
How to apply
The same application form is used to apply to all of the mentors. Indicate the mentor of your choice on the form and attach links to samples of your music and lyrics where possible. All applicants are personally notified on possible admittance and sent further details on how to proceed.
Entry requirements
In the application stage, particular emphasis is put on the applicants’ motivation and commitment to their goals and the process. While the content of the mentoring is determined according to the applicant’s objectives, these objectives are also evaluated in relation to the mentor’s core competence.
THE MENTORS
Riku Pääkkönen
The founder of Spinefarm Records, which focused especially on rock and metal music, Riku Pääkkönen currently runs the record and publishing company Ranka Kustannus. He is known as a fair and seasoned music industry professional, who has worked with many internationally successful bands, such as Nightwish, Children of Bodom and Blind Channel.
Pääkkönen will be mentoring three to four artists or groups, providing guidance and insight on building a career and working in the music industry. He will provide concrete advice on where the artist or group is at the present and potential next steps in their career. The content will be further determined according to the current situation and goals of the artist or group.
The small groups meet via Zoom six times in sessions led by Riku Pääkkönen, and twice with the Rhythm Institute staff.
Saara Törmä
Saara Törmä has created lyrics for a number of hit tracks by Finnish top artists. Her best-known works include ‘Kaunis rietas onnellinen’ by Kaija Koo, ‘Järjetön rakkaus’ by Jesse Kaikuranta, ‘Morsian’ by Lauri Tähkä as well as ‘Mä hiihdän’, ‘Rahan takii’, ‘Peto on irti’ and almost all of the songs on the ‘Valittu kansa’ album by Antti Tuisku. Törmä was awarded the prestigious Juha Vainio prize for her work in 2022.
Törmä will be mentoring three to four lyricists writing in Finnish.
The small groups meet via Zoom six times in sessions led by Saara Törmä, and twice with the Rhythm Institute staff.
Virpi Eroma
University trained composer and arranger Virpi Eroma launched her solo career in 2018. She is a trailblazer in independent music publishing in many ways, having proven that it is possible to gain success as a self-published artist as well as by more typical routes. Songs from the singer-songwriter’s debut album ‘Kahenlaisii kuvia’, released in April 2022, reached millions of Spotify streams, with seven of its eight single releases also breaking into radio playlists.
Eroma will be mentoring three to four artists or groups seeking advice on finding their own audience and building their career as independent artists. The contents will be further determined according to the current situation and aspirations of the artists or groups.
Eroma’s mentees will meet seven times, once live at the Rhythm Institute office in Seinäjoki and six times via Zoom. The last Zoom meeting is a feedback session led by the Rhythm Institute staff.
