Municipalities fund primary and secondary education and have a great deal of freedom when it comes to organising the distribution of curriculum. So for example music could be taught in some years but not in others. At primary school, over the nine years, music should be taught for at least 230 hours (out of a total of guaranteed hours of instruction of 6,665).

From the 7th to the 9th year of compulsory school, students may choose to join classes with a special emphasis on music. Besides continuing their general education, they will also receive lessons in singing and playing instruments, ensemble playing and music theory. There also exist a few schools, which offer extended music education at the lower compulsory school levels. Schools with special emphasis on music usually have entrance exams.

At upper secondary school level, students can choose to join an arts programme with music. They will, besides continuing their general education, receive tuition in singing and/or playing instruments and also have lessons in ensemble playing, ear training, music theory and choral singing. This programme prepares students for continuation into higher music education. However, the students also receive a general exam so that they may continue into other forms of higher education. Even the arts programmes of upper secondary school usually have entrance exams.

After finishing upper secondary school many students with a special interest in music will attend a people’s college with a music programme for one or two years to prepare for the entrance exams at the university schools of music.

It should be mentioned that Sweden has a well-developed system of municipal music and arts schools. In 2006 as many as 282 Swedish municipalities had such schools, and only eight municipalities are without one. The municipal music and arts schools offer music education (and often also education in for instance dance, drama, visual arts and the media) for children and youngsters at a reasonable cost. Students are allowed to enter municipal music and arts schools from approximately the third year of compulsory school until they leave the upper secondary school. They will typically receive one lesson per week on their instrument and have opportunities to participate in ensemble playing. The teaching takes place during school time (the students are then allowed to leave their ordinary lessons) or after school. Often, teachers employed at the municipal music and arts schools will also work as music teachers within the compulsory school system, and hence meet the students on various arenas.