Academic Music College
Academic Music College, fully Tchaikovsky Academic Music College at the Moscow State Conservatory (Russian: Академическое музыкальное училище при Московской государственной консерватории им. П. И. Чайковского) is an educational institution located in Moscow, Russia.
History
Founded in 1891 as Public Music College by pianist Valentina Zograf-Plaksina, the college was given the name of and an official attachment to the Moscow Conservatory in 1936.
Overview
Academic Music College's full graduate program lasts four years. Entry exams are normally held for students age 15, although students from the vocal department are usually older. Its diploma gives graduates the right to work professionally as teachers, orchestra players, conductors, operatic and choir soloists. The Academic Music College can also be considered a preparatory stage for further advancement in higher education institutions such as conservatories and universities. In that capacity, the College serves as an intermediary educational body. The College also has its own junior division, Music School.
Interesting facts
In musical circles, Academic Music College is often affectionately called Merzliakov College, or simply Merzliakovka, after the street name on which it is located - Merzliakov line.
There is an old and friendly rivalry that exists between the Academic Music College and the other similar institution attached to the Moscow Conservatory, Central Music School. Some consider Academic Music College students and graduates to be more academically inclined due to the special emphasis on theoretical subjects in the college curriculum, as opposed to the more public performance oriented students of Central Music School. Others deny such comparison.
Notable alumni
References
External links
- Official website (in English and Russian)