The Conservatoire de musique de Genève is a music school in Geneva, Switzerland.
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History
Founded in September 1835 by François Bartholoni, it is the oldest music education institution in Switzerland and among the oldest in Europe.
Its current building, designed by Jean-Baptiste Lesueur, opened in 1858. Franz Liszt taught at this conservatory during the first year of its operation.
Since 2009, the Conservatoire’s professional courses have been led by the Geneva University of Music (Haute école de musique de Genève). The Conservatory hosts nearly 2,500 students.
The Geneva International Music Competition was founded in 1939 at the Conservatoire, and is its first international competition.
Directors
Nathan Bloc (1835–1849)
Jules Delacour (1849–1859)
Ami Girard (1859–1892)
Ferdinand Held (1892–1925)
Henri Gagnebin (1925–1957)
Samuel Baud-Bovy (1957–1970)
Claude Viala (1970–1992)
Philippe Dinkel (1992–2007, continued as director of the Geneva University of Music until 2021)
Eva Aroutounian (since 2007)
Notable alumni
Ofer Ben-Amots, composer
Hugues Cuénod, operatic tenor
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, composer, musician and educator
Edmond H. Fischer, biochemist
Enrico Gatti, violinist
Nelson Goerner, classical pianist
Irène Jacob, actress
Sébastian Jacot, flautist
Michael Jarrell, composer and academic teacher
John Keys, organist
Esko Laine, double bassist and professor of music
Thijs van Leer, lead vocalist and flautist of progressive rock band Focus
Grégoire Maret, jazz harmonica player
William Chapman Nyaho, musician
Sophia Parnok, writer
Katina Paxinou, actress
Davoud Rashidi, actor
Charles Reiner, pianist and music educator
Lionel Rogg, organist, composer and teacher
Andrei Volkonsky, composer and harpsichordist