Music College

Music Colleges were introduced in 2004 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in England. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, music. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Music Colleges will receive extra funding from this joint private sector and government scheme. Music Colleges also act as a local point of reference for other schools and businesses in the area, with an emphasis on promoting music within the community.

In Russia, the words “music college” were incorporated into the titles of some educational institutions earlier called “specialized music schools” for gifted children. Such schools were established in the USSR by the major conservatories (entrance at the age 6-7, study duration 10–11 years) and exist also now. Among the renamed establishments, there is, e.g. the Ural Music College in Ekaterinburg. (This often causes confusions as, first, the term “college” is also used for some four-year Russian schools for people aged 15–20, and, secondly, none of the Russian meanings of the term “music college” corresponds to what is meant under “music college” in the USA).