Royal Danish Academy of Music

About

The Royal Danish Academy of Music (DKDM) is Denmark's oldest and largest music academy, renowned for its high-level education in classical and contemporary music. It excels in performance, composition, conducting, and music pedagogy, fostering artistic development at the highest international standard. For international students, DKDM offers a welcoming and supportive environment, with many master's and postgraduate programs taught in English, and dedicated international coordinators to assist with integration and academic life. The academy actively participates in exchange programs and attracts a diverse student body. A distinctive characteristic is its unique blend of preserving Danish musical heritage while embracing innovative contemporary music practices.

Background

The Royal Danish Academy of Music, or Royal Danish Conservatory of Music (Danish: Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium), in Copenhagen is the oldest professional institution of musical education in Denmark as well as the largest, with approximately 400 students. It was established in 1867 as Kjøbenhavns Musikkonservatorium by Niels Gade – who was also the first rector –, J.P.E. Hartmann and Holger Simon Paulli on the basis of a testamentary gift from the jeweler P.W. Moldenhauer, and with inspiration from the Leipzig Conservatory and a conservatory founded by Giuseppe Siboni in Copenhagen in 1827. Carl Nielsen was a teacher in the period 1916–1919 and the rector during the last year of his life. The academy was renamed to Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium in 1902 and became a national state institution in 1949. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is Protector of the institution. Originally located on H.C. Andersens Boulevard, it relocated into Radiohuset, the former headquarters of the Danish national radio broadcasting corporation DR, on 1 September 2008 and took over the concert hall...

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