University of Sydney Handbooks - 2013 Archive

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Welcome to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Dean of the Conservatorium, Karl Kramer

Music in the 21st century is all pervasive. Never in the history of our distinctive art form has there been a wider array of opportunities for the composers, performers, educators and scholars in the pursuit of musical excellence. From the concert hall to the big screen, the orchestra pit to the iPhone, or from the Xbox to the opera theatre, the demand for our art has never been greater.

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is this nation’s premier tertiary music institution and plays a pivotal role in the Australian musical landscape, and increasingly so in the Asia Pacific. Ideally situated at the centre of Sydney's CBD and arts precinct just minutes from the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music provides a comprehensive musical education, imparting the necessary knowledge, skills, and aesthetic to thrive in this exciting new century of music.

Our degree programs at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels underscore the four key areas of performance, composition, music education and musicology. Mentored by leaders in your chosen field, you may specialise in your area of interest or explore combinations of areas to satisfy your creative energies. As a student of the University of Sydney, you will be an engaged member of a community of scholars comprising the top 40 universities in the world, including Harvard, Yale, Oxford, and Cambridge.

Sydney Conservatorium of Music graduates go on to have successful careers as soloists or orchestral musicians, composers, academics and educators, critics, writers, and arts administrators. The keys to our graduate successes are the highly dedicated faculty of teachers/performers and scholars and a diverse and highly talented student body - all of whom share a passion for music making.

I make no apology for the fact that entry into the Sydney Conservatorium of Music is highly competitive. If you study here, you can expect to be challenged beyond your perceived boundary of technical ability and musical creativity. I can assure you, however, that the skills you develop and the experience gained in your time at the Conservatorium will be a touchstone of excellence and a capstone educational experience for the rest of your life.

I invite you to come and share in our dynamic musical world.

Professor Karl Kramer
Dean and Principal of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music