Music history teaching in Finland has been a compulsive part of every music student’s studies in Finnish Music schools and conservatoires. To date, the music history curricula in music schools have mostly focused on musical eras and styles, composers and compositional analysis. However, the Finnish national core curriculum is embedded in constructivist learning concept and local music schools should draw up their curricula with the framework of this national core curriculum.

 In this article, we are examining the contradiction between local curricula, based often on music history teaching tradition, and constructive pedagogical approaches expressed in Finnish national core curriculum.

Analysis of music history students’ interview has revealed that at least some students have difficulties to combine their music history studies to their musicianship and to their musical identity. This article discusses the impact of new pedagogical approaches, which emphasize dialogue as a prerequisite for meaningful learning in music history classes.  Instead of repeating a static content of musical styles, composers and compositions, music history studies could enhance students’ historical consciousness. Music history as an educational subject could also challenge students to examine their explicit and tacit knowing as well as their conceptual and narrative thinking.  

We hope that themes presented in this article could reinforce the need for a profound rethinking of learning concepts in music history tuition.