Shanghai Conservatory of Music

Shanghai Conservatory of Music

The Shanghai Conservatory of Music was originally established as the National Conservatory of Music. It was founded on November 27, 1927, in Shanghai by Mr. Cai Yuanpei and Dr. Xiao Youmei, and is China’s first independently established higher education institution specializing in professional music. Since 1956, it has been known by its current name. In 2000, the conservatory shifted from direct administration by the Ministry of Culture to being under the leadership of the Shanghai Municipal Government and is now jointly administered by the Ministry of Culture and the Shanghai Municipal Government. In September 2017, it was listed as one of the universities under the “Double First-Class” initiative by the Ministry of Education. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, notable figures such as He Luting, Sang Tong, Jiang Ming, Wang Xilin, Ding Shande, and Zhu Jianer have served as presidents, while senior leaders such as Ye Jimin and Zhu Guang have served as party secretaries. Over the years, the school has gradually formed an academic structure centered around music performance and theory, with a focus on musicology research, and music performance as the main discipline, supported by applied music disciplines, cultivating a large number of outstanding music professionals and earning the reputation of being “the cradle of musicians.”

The Shanghai Conservatory of Music currently has 2,545 full-time students, 528 faculty members, 307 full-time teachers, 29 foreign teachers, and 72 international students from 20 countries and regions. Its educational levels include undergraduate and graduate programs (master’s and doctoral degrees), covering seven majors (composition and composition theory, musicology, music performance, sound recording arts, public administration, music technology and art, and digital media art) across 22 specializations. It also houses two postdoctoral research stations and is currently the only professional music institution in China that possesses three first-level disciplines: music and dance studies, art theory, and theater and film studies.

The Shanghai Conservatory of Music has pioneered a uniquely Chinese “comprehensive K–12” system for training artistic talent. It boasts a number of academic platforms that integrate teaching, performance, and research, including several arts centers and performing ensembles. It publishes one national core academic journal, Music Art, maintains one of the most extensive historical music libraries and archives, operates a flexible music research institute, and runs the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Publishing House, which consistently releases high-level academic works. It also hosts the Oriental Musical Instruments Museum, recognized as a “National Unity and Progress Education Base.” In recent years, the school has hosted an average of over 300 artistic performances and concerts annually, serving hundreds of thousands of audiences. The current built-up area of the campus is 82,156 square meters, with an additional 96,758 square meters under construction.

Address: No. 20, Fenyang Road, Shanghai, China

Postal Code: 200031

General Enquiry: 021-64370137