Background / Organisation

Classroom music is taught in lower secondary school (pupils aged 11-14) and in upper secondary school only in psycho-pedagogical lyceums (for pupils aged 14-19). Instrumental music is also taught in lower secondary schools and in conservatories of music.

Music teacher training for teaching in these schools takes place in universities, in “schools of specialisation for the education of secondary teachers” (SSIS) as a two year course. Training also takes place in conservatories that offer four year music education courses for both general music and instrumental teachers.

Before 2007, music teachers needed a teaching degree in order to qualify as general music teachers for lower and upper secondary schools, while instrumental music teachers only needed a degree in performance. From September 2007 all teachers of music are required to complete a second level degree (Master) in order to obtain qualified teacher status to teach in lower and upper secondary school. Since 2007/2008 the number of students entering music teacher training programmes in universities depends on the available places in each of 20 districts; and in each conservatory the maximum number of students per year is 35. Within the two year teacher training programme in universities, students have about 1000 hours of training which includes university based courses and teaching practice in schools; and teacher training courses in conservatories have about 1200 hours. Students obtain 120 ECTS credits for the qualification.