Music Schools Worldwide
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Instruments and voice

Each page explains how study on the instrument is organised and lists the programs whose official pages name it as part of the title, a major or a formal principal-study pathway. An instrument taught in private lessons, or a faculty member who teaches it, is not a degree specialization, so a missing listing is a research gap or a real absence, never an assumption.

Keyboard

  • Piano

    Piano is among the most widely offered principal-study instruments, with degree routes in solo performance, collaborative piano, jazz, pedagogy and more.

    396 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Organ

    Organ study joins keyboard performance with the worlds of church music, liturgy and historic instruments, and is offered at a smaller set of schools than most instruments.

    175 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Harpsichord

    Harpsichord study sits mainly within early music and historical performance, combining keyboard technique with continuo, tuning and period style.

    99 verified programs with this instrument pathway

Strings

  • Violin

    Violin is a core conservatory instrument, studied through solo, orchestral and chamber work, with routes in historical performance, pedagogy and contemporary styles.

    189 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Viola

    Viola study draws on the inner voice of the string family, with strong emphasis on chamber music, orchestral work and a distinctive solo repertoire.

    166 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Cello

    Cello study spans solo, chamber and orchestral playing, with a range from suites for unaccompanied cello to period instruments and contemporary music.

    174 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Double Bass

    Double bass study ranges from orchestral and solo classical playing to jazz bass, with training shaped by the instrument's size and its foundational role in ensembles.

    168 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Harp

    Harp study centres on the pedal harp in orchestral and solo contexts, with some programs also supporting lever and historical harps.

    157 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Classical Guitar

    Classical guitar study blends a solo repertoire built on fingerstyle technique with chamber music, early plucked instruments and a growing contemporary literature.

    107 verified programs with this instrument pathway

Woodwinds

  • Flute

    Flute study emphasises breath, tone and agility, and extends from orchestral and chamber playing to the piccolo, historical flutes and contemporary techniques.

    168 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Oboe

    Oboe study combines double-reed technique with reed making, orchestral and chamber playing, and a repertoire that runs from the baroque to the present.

    161 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Clarinet

    Clarinet study covers a wide dynamic and expressive range, with routes through orchestral, chamber, wind band, jazz and klezmer-influenced playing.

    166 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Bassoon

    Bassoon study pairs double-reed craft with orchestral and chamber training on a low woodwind that serves both as a bass voice and a lyrical solo instrument.

    156 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Saxophone

    Saxophone has two broad degree traditions, classical and jazz, along with strong ties to contemporary music, wind bands and education.

    143 verified programs with this instrument pathway

Brass

  • Trumpet

    Trumpet study builds endurance, flexibility and range, and leads into orchestral, brass ensemble, jazz and commercial playing.

    169 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • French Horn

    Horn study centres on a demanding, wide-ranging brass instrument at the heart of orchestral, chamber and wind literature.

    156 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Trombone

    Trombone study uses a slide to develop a vocal, flexible brass sound for orchestral, chamber, jazz and band repertoire.

    169 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Euphonium

    Euphonium study is strongest in band-centred programs, where it serves as the lyrical tenor voice of the brass family and a solo instrument in its own right.

    52 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Tuba

    Tuba study trains players to anchor orchestral and band harmony while developing a surprisingly agile solo and chamber voice.

    130 verified programs with this instrument pathway

Percussion

  • Percussion

    Classical percussion study spans snare drum, timpani, keyboard percussion and multiple percussion, plus orchestral, chamber and world traditions.

    177 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Drum Set

    Drum set study sits mostly in jazz and contemporary music programs, where rhythm-section playing, groove and improvisation take precedence over orchestral percussion.

    21 verified programs with this instrument pathway

Contemporary instruments

  • Electric Guitar

    Electric guitar study is found in jazz and contemporary music programs, covering improvisation, band playing, studio work and a range of popular styles.

    5 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Bass Guitar

    Bass guitar study centres on groove, harmony and ensemble support in jazz and contemporary programs, and is often taught alongside double bass.

    8 verified programs with this instrument pathway

Voice

  • Classical Voice

    Classical voice study combines technique, languages and repertoire for opera, art song, oratorio and choral work, often with strong performance training.

    164 verified programs with this instrument pathway

  • Contemporary Voice

    Contemporary voice study covers pop, jazz, rock, musical theatre and related styles, with attention to microphone technique, performance and artistry.

    21 verified programs with this instrument pathway