Today in History – 6 May

Ankara State Conservatory is opened

Following the opening of the “Music Teacher’s Training School” (Musiki Muallim Mektebi) in the second year of the Republic, the Ministry of National Education took initiatives, under the orders of Atatürk, to establish a conservatory of music. Renowned composer Prof. Paul Hindemith was thus invited to Turkey to conduct research as advisor in the restructuring of the music institutions in the country and to determine the founding principles of the conservatory.

Hindemith arrived in Turkey on April 6, 1935 and began his studies. Receiving great interest from Atatürk, Hindemith created a report of his studies. Based on his expert opinion, the conservatory to be established would constitute a liberal music school (State Conservatory), a teacher’s training school (Musiki Muallim Mektebi), and a theater. Following the report, Prof. Carl Ebert was brought from Germany to establish the theater and opera departments of the conservatory.

Ankara State Conservatory was officially established on May 6, 1936. As it did not have a separate building assigned, it initially began instruction within the Musiki Muallim Mektebi. Admitting its first students from this institution, the conservatory began instruction on November 1, 1936.