Leeds Conservatoire (formerly known as The Leeds Music Centre, the City of Leeds College of Music, and Leeds College of Music) is a higher education music conservatoire based in the Quarry Hill district of Leeds, England. It was founded in 1965 by Joseph Stones.
Aside from its education provision, which also includes short courses and programmes for adults and school-age musicians, Leeds Conservatoire hosts a seasonal programme of concerts, largely in its 350-seat auditorium ‘The Venue’. In 2011, Leeds Conservatoire was awarded All-Steinway School status, becoming the only conservatoire in England to have 90% of its pianos from the Steinway family.
Leeds Conservatoire became a wholly owned subsidiary of Leeds City College in August 2011, and is now a member of the Luminate Education Group. In 2018, the conservatoire regained its status as a Higher Education Institution.
Academic Profile
Admission
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications[5] | 1,210 | 1,210 | 1,060 | 1,345 | 1,420 |
| Enrols[6] | 320 | 355 | 295 | 400 | 370 |
Leeds Conservatoire was dissolved as a Higher Education institution in 2009 after merging with Leeds City College. After regaining Higher Education status in June 2018, Leeds Conservatoire will again be listed on university league tables.
Teaching and degrees
Undergraduate courses at Leeds Conservatoire are known as pathways; genres and styles of music that students choose to major in. Courses include Business, Classical, Film Music, Folk, Jazz, Popular, Production, Songwriting, Musical Theatre, Acting and Actor Musician. Students may also choose to combine two pathways. The conservatoire also offers a one-year Foundation Degree certificate providing students with an extra year before commencing their undergraduate study. Completion of any three-year undergraduate pathway will result in students being awarded a Bachelor of Arts. Leeds Conservatoire was the first music institution in Europe to offer a bachelor’s degree in the study of Jazz music, and the first conservatoire in the UK to offer a degree in Popular music.
Until September 2018 the conservatoire also ran Further education courses, including BTEC Music and Music Technology. All FE courses were moved to the Creative Arts Faculty of Leeds City College.
The conservatoire also runs a one-year postgraduate programme in which students can study for a Master of Music or postgraduate diploma.
Since September 2013, all undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses are validated by the University of Hull.
In addition to degree courses, Leeds Conservatoire is also host to a series of short courses available to children and adults. This also includes Leeds Junior Conservatoire, previously known as the Saturday Music School, which runs courses available to children from ages 9–18.[14] On Sundays, the conservatoire is also a host for Yorkshire Young Musicians.