Unlike in the U.S. where many colleges offer music majors or music courses for interested students, in China all music education at the college level takes place in dedicated colleges of music or colleges of art that include a music department. Accordingly, the decision to study music takes place early on so that a child will have enough time to prepare for the entrance requirements for one of China's 30 colleges of music or art. Successful entrance into a top school often bodes well for the student's future.
Central Conservatory of Music
The Central Conservatory of Music is not only considered one of the best colleges of music in China, but also one of the top music colleges in the world, according to the Yale School of Music. In addition to drawing on the school's comprehensive course offerings, student have access to the school's four on-campus research institutes, including the Voice Research Center.
In an effort to engage children early on in the appreciation and study of music, the university also has an affiliated program with a local middle school that allows young conservatory teachers a chance to get hands-on experience teaching while the middle school students can develop their talents.
Central Conservatory of Music 43 Baojia St. Xicheng District, Beijing 100031 China ++86 10-66425597 en.ccom.edu.cn
Shanghai Conservatory of Music
Originally established as the National Conservatory in 1927, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music is one of the oldest music colleges in China. The conservatory offers undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral degrees in a wide range of fields such as orchestral instruments, voice pedagogy, music production and recording engineering.
The school also has a large international studies division where international students take short-term music and language courses or students with the appropriate language skills matriculate into classes with Chinese students for long-term research.
Shanghai Conservatory of Music 20 Fenyang Rd. Xuhui District, Shanghai, China 200031 ++86 21-64370137 shcmusic.edu.cn
China Conservatory of Music
Established in 1964 at the suggestion of Prime Minister Zhou Enlai, the focus of the China Conservatory of Music is to train students in the theory, practice, performance and advancement of traditional Chinese music and instruments such as the erhu, suona and pipa.
The school is comprised of eight departments dedicated to such areas of study as music composition, singing and opera, folk music, music education and music performance. The majority of coursework at the school is geared towards undergraduate study, although there is a master's program as well as a continuing education and night class division for both professional musician and non-music majors.
China Conservatory of Music 1 Anxiang Rd. Chaoyang District, Beijing, China 100101 ++86 10-64874884 ccmusic.edu.cn
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Marcello Viridis has been "working in writing" for the past six years. Since publishing his first article in 2004, he has written on a range topics from working and living overseas for the Wall Street Journal's Black Collegian website to legal essays for the Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties. Viridis has a B.A. from Pomona College and a J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School.