HISTORY OF UKRAINIAN CONSERVATORIES: LEGACY OF TRADITION

Abstract

The paper provides a definition of the term “сonservatory” with reference to opening of the first conservatoires in the 16th century in the territory of contemporary Italy. The author notes the process of transformation of conservatoires into higher education institutions operating under the university principle as opposed to the “master-apprentice” medieval system. The work describes the first attempt to open a conservatoire in Ukraine in the city of Kremenchuk in the late 18th century, i.e. before the first conservatoires emerged in the territories of the countries which comprised Ukrainian lands in the 19th century. The author notes common trends in the development of professional musical education in the Ukrainian lands that were part of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, and establishment of music associations which facilitated opening of music schools in Lviv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa in the 19th century. The process of transformation of these educational institutions into conservatoires is traced. The work describes development of the professional music education in the Soviet times where the top-level institutions were conservatoires of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv. Positive and negative features of the centralised and unified music education system are shown. The paper provides insight into the paths of development of the higher music education after Ukraine’s independence, describes issues with implementing the two-level system of higher education. The author examines the process of change of educational institutions’ statuses and names which has led to re-naming of conservatoires into universities and academies. The paper recounts opening of new educational institutions providing higher education in music in large cities of Ukraine. The paper concludes that the work of contemporary Ukrainian higher education institutions providing training in music is based on the well-established system of music education of Ukrainian conservatoires, which in turn is based on centuries-old traditions of the Western European system of professional music education.