The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music

The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw is among the oldest schools of music in in Europe. It inherited a nearly two-hundred-year-old tradition of public music teaching. In various periods of history the school changed names, but the continuity of its tradition remained unbroken, guaranteed by the alumni who undertook pedagogical duties in their Alma Mater. University’s most memorable date is the year 1810; birth of Fryderyk Chopin, patron of the school, and the permit for the founding of the School of Drama, attached to the National Theatre. The school, meant for actors and singers of the theatre, was later transformed into a college of music known as “The Conservatory” Between the years 1826 and 1829, Fryderyk Chopin studied here. Towards the end of the second year of Chopin’s studies his teacher, Józef Elsner, declared him as “an extraordinary gift, a musical genius”.

The FCUM teaches in the following fields: composition and theory of music, conducting, instrument studies, vocal studies, music artistic education, church music, dance, and sound engineering. The University offers first level (Bachelor) and second level (Master) courses. It offers doctoral studies and post graduate artistic traineeships.

The curriculum also covers general music and major modules such as: Piano, Conducting, Solo Singing (main module); Accompaniment (major module); Aural Training, History of Music with Literature, Music Forms (basic module); Philosophy, Aesthetics, History of Art, Art of the 20th Century, History of Film (humanities module). Group classes have an open form. Students who are artistically active, or who are preparing for international competitions may study according to an individual program specified by the faculty.

The University has 900 students. Its campus is located in the center of Warsaw, next to the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.

The FCUM maintains intensive relations with other music circles in the form of continuous cooperation with numerous European and non-European universities.

The University is a member of international associations of higher music education institutions.