Music schools in Germany cater for students from an early age to postgraduate degrees. They exist within and outwith the formal education system. Fulltime music education with Musikgymnasiums can begin as early as 10 years of age.

Musikschulen

Public Music Schools are charities of the musical education of children, adolescents and adults. They are usually in public ownership as an Association or comply with a public mission. They supplement, rather than replacing music instruction in school. Public Music Schools can be found in most cities and towns. There were 914 public music schools , as of 1 January 2009. Private Music Schools also exist such as "Musik Froehlich" Or "Yamaha Schools of Music "

Musikgymnasium

Music Gymnasiums are secondary schools with a musical Focus which are designed to prepare children (from as young as 10/11) specifically for a musical education. Music gymnasiums can be Day schools or Boarding.
Music Gymnasiums include special musical subjects such as Rhythm, Music Theory, Ear Training, Composition Student’s normally study two musical instruments including the Piano.

In three cases; Sächsisches Landesgymnasium für Musik "Carl Maria von Weber" in Dresden, Musikgymnasium Belvedere Weimar and; Musikgymnasium Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach in Berlin, the Music Gymnasia work closely with a Hochschule, from where they receive their main instrumental/vocal lessons.

Musikhochschulen

Prior to the introduction of Musikhochschulen, Germany had a long tradition of Konservatoriums. The famous ones were founded in the 19th century:
Leipzig (1843), Munich (1846), Berlin (1850), Cologne (1850), Dresden (1856), Stuttgart (1857), Frankfurt (1878)). Some of these, such as the Hoch Conservatory

Hoch Conservatory

Dr. Hoch’s Konservatorium - Musikakademie was founded in Frankfurt am Main on September 22, 1878. Through the generosity of Frankfurter Joseph Hoch, who bequeathed the Conservatory one million German gold marks in his testament, a school for music and the arts was established for all age groups. ...

 still exist today as Konservatoriums with degree programms in Music, running parallel to the newer Musikhochschule as well as the Musikschule.

Germany has 24 Musikhochschulen which carry out professional music training. These institutions have university status and are financed by the bundeslander (states) The range of courses covers all musical disciplines including composition, music theory, conducting, performance (singing & instruments) and musicology.

A number of Musikhochschulen include Hochbegabtenzentrum (pre-college departments) whereby students receive instrumental lessons and music theory at weekend classes. Students attend normal schools during the week. Pre-college departments are available at the Hochschule für Musik Köln

Hochschule für Musik Köln

The Cologne University of Music is a music college in Cologne, and Germany's largest academy of music.-History:The academy was founded by Ferdinand Hiller in 1850 as Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln...

, Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover

Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover

Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover is an artistic-scientific university in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. It dates back to 1897. From 1962 until 2010 it was named Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover , short: Musikhochschule Hannover...

, Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim and the Hochschule für Musik Detmold

Hochschule für Musik Detmold

The University of Music Detmold is one of Germany's leading university-level schools of music, situated in Detmold, Germany.- Academics :...

. The Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt also has a pre-college department: Pre-College Frankfurt.

See also

• Education in Germany
  Education in Germany
  The responsibility for the German education system lies primarily with the states while the federal government plays only a minor role. Optional Kindergarten education is provided for all children between three and six years of age, after which school attendance is compulsory, in most cases for...
  
  
• Music school
  Music school
  The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
  
  
• List of pre-college music schools
• List of university and college schools of music