Music school

A music school is a special kind of institution where people learn, practice, and study music. These schools can have many different names, like school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, or conservatory. Students at music schools learn to play musical instruments, sing, write music composition, lead music groups, and understand topics such as musicology, music history, and music theory.

Music lessons can happen in regular schools, special children’s music schools like the Purcell School, or after-school programs. In some places, such as Venezuela, programs like El Sistema offer free music lessons to children after school through special music schools called núcleos.

Big universities also have music schools. For example, the Eastman School of Music is part of the University of Rochester. Other famous music schools include the Sibelius Academy, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and the Berklee College of Music. No matter what they are called, these schools help people of all ages learn and enjoy music.

History

Music education has a long history, though details from very early times are unclear. Even when history began to be recorded, music appears more often than music schools. In ancient Israel, music was part of religious traditions, but the early rules for teaching music are not clear.

One of the earliest known music schools was the schola cantorum (papal choir) in Rome. It started when Gregory the Great made changes to a group that had existed for centuries. This school included monks, clergy, and boys learning music.

Many important music schools appeared over the centuries. The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome is one of the oldest music groups in the world. It began in 1585 and has grown to include music education, research, and performances.

In the 16th and 18th centuries, cities like Naples had special schools for music. These schools trained famous composers and musicians. Other cities in Europe, such as Paris, Bologna, and Milan, later started their own music schools. Over time, music schools spread around the world, including to the Americas, Asia, and Africa.

Primary and secondary education

Specialist music schools

Specialist music schools exist in many countries. They help children with special talent in music get the best training while also learning other school subjects. These schools can be connected to bigger music schools called conservatories. Children usually join between the ages of 8 and 18 after an audition. These schools can be public or private, and private schools may offer money to help with costs. As students get older, they spend more time on music and less on other school subjects. They teach people who play instruments and sometimes also teach singing.

Some schools teach more than just music, including acting and dancing.

Music schools within schools

Many music schools are part of regular schools. In Scotland, some schools have special music units where students come from a wide area. These students get special music lessons but join the school for other classes. Getting into these units also means getting into the school.

In England, some schools get extra money to focus on music. Children can join these schools without needing to be good at music already. If a school is very good, it might also focus on other things like sports or technology.

Music schools sometimes use spaces in churches.

Pre-college divisions

Many big music schools have classes for younger children. These classes usually happen on Saturdays while children go to regular school during the week. The lessons include playing instruments together, learning music rules, writing music, and using music technology.

Music schools outside the general education system

Some music schools are not part of regular school systems. They are run by people or groups and teach children from age 4 up. These schools often meet on weekends or in the evenings.

Tertiary education

Conservatory

A conservatory of music can also be called a conservatoire, conservatorium, academy, or college. Some conservatories focus only on music, while others include drama and dance as well. They are great for students who want to become professional musicians, whether they want to play instruments, conduct, or write music. Conservatories usually combine lots of practice with academic learning to help students get ready for careers in the arts. Students often get to play music regularly, either by themselves or with groups like orchestras, bands, or ensembles. Most conservatories teach Western classical music, but some also teach traditional instruments like Chinese instruments, or include traditional music such as bagpipes and the fiddle. Others might focus on jazz, world music, or pop music.

Getting a music degree usually takes about the same time as other college degrees—3 to 4 years for a Bachelor of Music, 1 to 2 years for a Master of Music, and 3 to 5 years for a Doctor of Musical Arts or Doctor of Music. You can also get a PhD in areas like musicology, music theory, music composition, music education, or music therapy. Some schools also offer performance-only degrees like the Artist Diploma.

University schools of music

University music departments used to focus more on studying music academically than on performing. But today, many now focus more on performance. The balance between learning music skills and studying it academically can be different at each university and in each country. Some countries separate schools into university-level and vocational university levels, while others do not. Besides degrees like those at conservatories, universities may also offer degrees such as a Bachelor of Arts in Music or Music Education. Some conservatories that used to be independent are now part of universities.