Brief overview

The "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy of Cluj-Napoca came into being in 1919 as a consequence of the modernization and improvement of the Romanian educational system in general, its first rector being the outstanding personality of Romanian music, composer, conductor, singer and teacher Gheorghe Dima. Functioning, at first, under the name of "Conservatory", it became "The Academy of Music and Dramatic Art" in 1931 and then again "Conservatory" in 1950. In 1990 the institution regained its title of "Academy" by governemental decision.

At present,the existing department cover all the fields of musical life: classes of composition, musicology, musical pedagogy, coreography, orchestra conducting and choir conducting, canto, instruments and opera and coreography directing.

For the first time in Romania, the first title of Musicology Master was awarded in Cluj, in 1971.
The scientific and creative activity within the institution represents a permanent concern of both teachers and students and consists in the organization of scientific sessions, musicology symposiums on specific themes, monographic works, concerts of contemporary works. The Music Academy coordinates the publication of university textbooks, papers on musicology as well as scores of works composed by the teachers of the institution.

The Music Academy is managed by a Senate, a Senate Bureau, a rector, a scientific secretary, three deans and eleven heads of departments.

In the course of time, the most outstanding instrumental and choral groups of the Academy - Collegium Musicum Academicum, Ars Nova, The Percussion Ensemble, Capella Transylvanica, Antifonia, The Opera Class Ensemble -have gained wide national and international prestige. Their activity has been carried on for almost three decades, and consists of hundreds of concerts, participations in national and international prizes, which all prove a high professionalism and artistic value. Tens of students and teachers have obtained famous prizes in great national and international composition and interpretation contests.

Every year, the Music Academy organizes the "Gheorghe Dima" interpretation and composition contest, Mozart Festival and Competition, as well as the permanent season for concerts and recitals.
In 1992, the title of "Doctor Honoris Causa" of the "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy was instituted. Once, every two years, we organise Sigismund Toduta instrumental competition, N. Bretan competition and Symposion, Vocal Art in All Its Form and Colegium Musicologicum.