Xian Conservatory of Music(西安音乐学院)

Xi’an Conservatory of Music (XCOM) is a full-time regular higher education institution dedicated to cultivating specialized talents in music and dance arts. It is one of the 11 independent music conservatories in China and the only independent higher music institution in the Northwest region. Affiliated with the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government and supervised by the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, it is recognized as a "Domestic First-Class Discipline" construction university in Shaanxi Province.

History and Educational Philosophy

• Historical Roots: Founded in 1949, the conservatory originated from the "Northwest People's Art School," established by Marshal He Long in the Jin-Sui Border Region in 1948. It moved to Xi'an in 1949 and was named the "Art College of the Northwest Military and Political University." After several name changes (including Northwest Art College, Northwest Art Junior College, and Shaanxi Provincial Art College), the State Council formally approved the reinstatement of the name "Xi’an Conservatory of Music" in 1980.

• Motto & Philosophy: Over its 76-year history, the school has adhered to the motto of "Cultivating Virtue through Education, Pursuing Perfection in Music" and formed the educational philosophy of "Harmony in Diversity, Excellence and Uniqueness."

• "11241" Educational Framework: * 1 Lead: Artistic Ideological and Political Education.

  • 1 Foundation: Artistic Humanities.

  • 2 Wings: Artistic Technology and Artistic Health.

  • 4 Traditions: Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang music culture; Northwest regional music culture; Qin-style music culture; and the red music culture of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region.

  • 1 Core: Professional Arts Education (aimed at cultivating high-level music and dance talents with both moral integrity and artistic excellence).

The conservatory's development has received strong support from national leaders—including Xi Zhongxun, Li Lanqing, Zhao Leji, and Sun Chunlan—who have visited the campus and praised its traditional strengths in composition, musicology, folk instrumental music, and vocal performance.

Mission and Academic Positioning

The conservatory upholds a socialist educational direction, focusing on the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. By actively promoting the "Three Comprehensive Educations" and the "Five Educational Pillars," it has built a powerful "Grand Ideological and Political Education" system.

Strategic Goals:

• Vision: To become a "high-level, distinctive, domestically first-class, and internationally renowned music conservatory."

• Educational Level: Primarily focused on full-time undergraduate education, vigorously developing graduate education, while accommodating social arts education and appropriately developing adult arts education.

• Service Orientation: "Based in Shaanxi, serving the Northwest, facing the whole country, and stepping into the world."

• Talent Cultivation Structure: Placing equal emphasis on performance/creative practical talents and theoretical research talents; arts education talents and arts management talents; professional elite talents and popularization talents.

Academic Programs and Departments

XCOM was authorized to grant Master’s degrees by the State Council in 1986 and began enrolling master's students in 1987. In 2017, it was approved as a targeted construction unit for newly added Doctoral degree-granting institutions in Shaanxi Province.

• Degrees Offered: It holds 1 First-Level Discipline in Art Theory and 2 Professional Degree Categories (Music, Dance), covering all 10 secondary disciplines under the arts category, with a total of 3 master's degree authorization points.

• Undergraduate Programs: Offers 13 undergraduate majors, including 3 National First-Class Undergraduate Major Construction Sites and 7 Provincial First-Class Sites.

• Academic Departments: The conservatory comprises 10 teaching units:

  • Composition Department

  • Humanities College

  • Piano Department

  • Orchestral Department

  • Folk Instrumental Music Department

  • Vocal Music Department

  • Music Education College

  • Modern Music College

  • Dance College

  • School of Marxism

Faculty and Students

The conservatory boasts a highly qualified faculty and a vibrant student body.

Student Demographics:

Currently, there are 5,278 full-time students enrolled, including 3,808 full-time undergraduates and 942 full-time graduate students.

Faculty Profile:

Out of 639 active staff members, 408 are full-time teachers.

Qualification / Title	Number of Teachers	Percentage of Full-Time Faculty
Master's Degree	253	62.0%
Doctoral Degree	121	29.7%
Senior Professional Title (Full Prof.)	70	17.2%
Associate Senior Title (Assoc. Prof.)	153	37.5%

Notable Faculty Highlights include: 7 experts enjoying the "State Council Government Special Allowance," 2 members of the Ministry of Education Teaching Steering Committee, 2 "Outstanding Experts of the Ministry of Culture," 12 provincial high-level talent plan experts, and 1 Provincial Huang Danian-style Teaching Team.

Campus Facilities and Research Platforms

• Campus Area: Approximately 89,000 square meters.

• Library: Covers 3,126 square meters, housing 575,684 physical books, 44 databases (including 12 self-built distinctive databases), and 3 digital literature delivery groups.

• Teaching Facilities: * 963 practice rooms (including 241 smart practice rooms).

  • 199 classrooms (53 multimedia, 56 public, 90 smart classrooms).

  • 438 laboratories across 4 categories, totaling 14,453.55 sq meters.

  • An Art Center (22,198 sq m) and an Academic Lecture Hall/Rehearsal Hall (2,650 sq m).

• Research & Practice Bases: Features over 10 integration platforms for "production, learning, research, and service," including the Northwest Folk Music Research Center, the "Belt and Road" Music Culture Higher Institute, and the Shaanxi University Ideological and Political Research Key Base.

Artistic Practice and International Exchange

XCOM is home to over 10 artistic practice groups, including the Shaanxi Symphony Orchestra (managed by XCOM), Symphony Orchestra, Chinese Orchestra, Chang'an Dance Troupe, and Xi'an Drum Music Art Troupe.

Global Reach:

• Established strategic partnerships with over 60 universities, research institutions, and performance groups in more than 20 countries and regions.

• Hosted major international events such as the "Silk Road Music Festival" and the "International Chinese Music Conducting Competition."

• Undertaken artistic performance tasks for monumental national events, including the China-Central Asia Summit, CCTV Spring Festival Gala, and the 14th National Games.

Outstanding Alumni and Major Achievements

Over the past 76 years, the conservatory has cultivated more than 40,000 high-quality music professionals and educators.

• Notable Alumni: Including famous educators, composers, conductors, and singers such as Zhao Jiping, Lu Rirong, Qiao Jianzhong, Yan Huichang, Lü Jihong, He Hui, Zhang Haofu, Cheng Dazhao, Han Lankui, An Jinyu, and Wang Zhen.

• Major Awards: The conservatory has won numerous prestigious awards, including the National Science and Technology Progress Second Prize, Gold Award at the Verdi International Vocal Competition, Grand Prize at the Italian Viola Competition, Gold Awards at the Chinese Music Golden Bell Awards (Bel Canto and Chorus), China Wenhua Award, Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award, and the Classical Dance Award at the 14th China Dance "Lotus Awards."

Future Outlook

Shouldering the noble mission of flourishing socialist arts in the new era, Xi’an Conservatory of Music remains guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Rooted in the vast lands of western China, the conservatory insists on party-building leadership, centers on high-quality development, and upholds the value of aligning art with the times and the people. XCOM continues to innovate and strive relentlessly to accelerate its transformation into a high-level, distinctive, domestically first-class, and internationally renowned music conservatory.