Soiva Camp at Salolampi FAQs

What is Soiva?

Soiva is an intensive summer music education program for young people that will be held at Salolampi, the Finnish Language Village near Bemidji, Minnesota.

What are the eligible ages for participants?

Ages 11-17

How do I register for Soiva Camp at Salolampi?

Please enter session code IBM2 in the appropriate space on the Summer Youth Registration Form (PDF).

Each student is also required to submit a cover letter of personal interest and one teacher recommendation with the registration. 

Are scholarships available?

Yes.  Regular Salolampi and CLV scholarships are available.

What level of proficiency (music and language) must a participant display before participating?

Participants must have had a minimum two years private instruction in piano or flute.
 

Will participants learn any Finnish?  What sort of participation will the Soiva villagers have in the language-cultural immersion of Salolampi?

Participants will learn some Finnish, but less than participants in the regular Salolampi session.  The Soiva campers will participate in early morning activities: morning circle (a couple of songs, morning exercises) and breakfast (breakfast vocabulary, some table talk). 

They will rejoin the Salolampi program in the later afternoon, in time for one directed activity (in Finnish) as well as the afternoon free time with swimming (directed partially in Finnish) and visits to the Village store (buying done in Finnish, with help from store staff). 

Soiva campers will be with Salolampi villagers for the evening meal which will feature Finnish meal vocabulary and have Finnish table talk.  The evening singing period and program will have songs that the other participants would have learned during the day, but the program may introduce some concepts that are new to all.

What type of supervision is provided during the various parts of the program?

Music instructors will provide supervision during the day at Bemidji State University, possibly assisted by one or two regular Salolampi counselors. Continuous supervision will be in effect while participants are at Salolampi.  There will not be a time when participants do not have adult supervision.

What types of musical experience will be provided in future programs?  For whom?

This is still in the discussion phase.  Additional instruments and modalities will be added, and it is likely that there will be a symposium for music educators.

How can parents or teachers be involved?

Parents and teachers can help participants register and provide transportation.  They can also help by writing letters to participants while they are at Soiva Camp at Salolampi .  They can show support by attending the closing program at Salolampi and the closing concert at BSU.

Parents and teachers can also promote Soiva Camp at Salolampi among other parents and teachers to assure the viability of the program. 

Since this will be a closed program, there is no provision for parents and teachers to participate or visit during the week.

How does a typical daily schedule look?  When will they be at Salolampi and when will they be at the university?

Wake-up time will be 8:00 a.m. Participants will have early morning activities and breakfast at Salolampi. They will receive a sack lunch then a school bus will transport them the 15 miles to Bemidji State University. 

About 4:00 p.m. they will be transported back to Salolampi, where they will participate in afternoon free time (the store, beach and sauna will be open) and in one directed activity in Finnish.  They will spend the rest of the evening at Salolampi, including dinner, singing, the evening program (typically games, simulations, competitions, station activities) and possibly a campfire, with bedtime about 10 p.m.