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Overview of Professional Music Training System in Greece

In general The music education in Greece consists of music universities;

conservatoires and technological institutions (post college education related exclusively to music technology). Four Universities with their Music Departments do represent various aspects of the higher music education: the Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki offers degrees in composition, pedagogy and musicology. The Department of Music of the Athens University offers degrees in musicology only. The University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki offers degrees of unspecified general music programs. The Department of Music at the Ionian University in Corfu offers graduate and postgraduate programmes of study in instrumental and vocal interpretation, Music composition and music sciences. The Conservatoires in Greece are at this moment non-accredited institutions. They function on programmes offering degrees that are not comparable with any institution (of higher education) in Greece or abroad. As the conservatoires are in their vast majority private businesses, a major concern refers to the quality control of the education provided. As they are not officially levelled in the education system they are often mistakenly considered as higher education institutions.

Total number of institutions There are four Departments of Music in four major Universities:

The Aristoteles University in Thessaloniki The University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki The University of Athens in Athens The Ionian University in Corfu

Total number of students App. 1200 students study in various fields of music in universities.

App. 600 students in Technological Institutions (TEI) The number of students in Conservatoires is unspecified.

Funding Universities and Technological Institutions (TEI) belong to the public domain. Conservatoires are all run privately except of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki (which is sponsored by the State) and partially the National Conservatory of Athens.

Curricula The curricula are controlled by the State. The Ministry of Education holds up

to a law frame that controls the process of creating new educational programmes. In relation to the conservatoires, the Ministry of Culture also defines the curriculum of study: however, there is some concern if the relevant laws are at all up-to-date.

2-cycle system The Department of Music at the Ionian University is the only institution

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following a 3-cycle system. Other Greek Music Departments are going to introduce a 2-cycle system or are now introducing such a system. At the Ionian University the 1st cycle (Bachelor) right now consists of 5 years of study. The second cycle (Master) consists of three semesters and currently applies only to Music Performance. The Doctoral program consists of 3 years and is in the following three areas: Composition, Music Performance and Music Sciences.

Qualifications 1st cycle: After 5 years of study music students get the Bachelor Degree (in

Greek: ptyhio). The specialisations at the Ionian University include instrumental vocal interpretation, composition and music sciences. 2nd cycle: MA and Doctorate

Entry requirements for 2nd cycle Successful completion of the 1st cycle and evaluation of the academic and

performance portfolio is the necessary requirement to enter the 2nd cycle of studies.

% of students who continue with 2nd cycle Number of students who continue in the 2ndcycle is unspecified. 3rd cycle The Department of Music of the Ionian University has since September

2006 inaugurated a Masters Degree in Music Performance which at the moment is unique in Greece. Students are then also able to continue to a Doctorate level, after further evaluation. At other Greek Universities the 3rd cycle of professional music training consists of Doctorate (written Thesis or academic Portfolio in Musicology or Composition).

Credit point system The Ionian University is using the ECTS credit point system. Not all Greek

universities have yet been adjusted to that. The conservatoires dont use the ECTS or a comparable system.

Quality assurance A new Quality Assurance System was established in August 2005 by state

law for all of Higher Education but the quality assurance process began in 2007. The responsible body is the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency, an independent administrative agency. Each department will be evaluated every three years. The process begins with a self-evaluation report, written by the institution, which is sent to the External Evaluation Committee (five members including a foreign expert). A site visit to the academic unit follows and includes evaluation of the department including interviews with members of the staff and students. The process culminates in the External Evaluation Committee submitting a report to both HQAA and the evaluated institution. The process is compulsory for universities only. Therefore, conservatoires, which are private in Greece, do not have Higher Education status.

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Academic year The academic year in all Departments of Music consists out of two semesters (September to February and March to June). Conservatoires follow the public school system (no semesters or equivalent).

Pre-college Greece knows many conservatories, around 880. Conservatories

provide music education at every level, to students of all ages. The number of 880 includes many smaller conservatories that only provide instrumental and vocal tuition. Most students in higher music education come from conservatoires.

Public Music Schools are schools on secondary level that provide general education with a specialisation in music education. Next to general education subjects, the curriculum includes instrumental lessons and theory classes. Schools are open to students from 12 to 18 years of age. Students who want to continue their education at higher music education institutions often go to Conservatories to improve their theoretical knowledge.

Private tuition is popular in Greece, although many students who want to proceed to higher music education will, at some point, leave their private teachers to go to Conservatories.