The AEC warmly invites you to join the AEC Annual Congress and General Assembly 2025, hosted by the University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, from 5–8 November 2025.
The AEC Congress is the largest annual gathering of higher music education institutions in Europe and beyond, bringing together leaders, teachers, staff, and students to exchange ideas, shape the future of higher music education, and strengthen the international community of conservatoires.
Registration is open via the official event page: AEC Annual Congress and General Assembly 2025.
This year’s programme will include inspiring keynote sessions, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and interactive activities that address the challenges and opportunities facing higher music education today.
Spotlight on Thursday Pre-Congress Workshops
In addition to the main programme, participants are invited to take part in three Pre-Congress Workshops on Thursday, 6 November 2025.
Empowering Tomorrow’s Talents – Paving the Way: Strengthening the Interconnection between the Levels of Musical Education
This pre-Congress workshop, organised in collaboration with Young Music Talents in Europe (YMTE), will explore how to strengthen connections between pre-college and higher music education.
Building on the Bologna process and the recommendations of the 2007 Polifonia report, the current Erasmus+ project seeks to establish a European reference framework for pre-college music education. The aim is to ensure quality assurance, curricular alignment, and a stronger bridge between educational levels, while addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Through presentations, case study analyses, and group discussions (Delphi rounds), participants will gain insight into preliminary project findings, including a mapping of learning outcomes and admission requirements across Europe. They will be invited to share experiences and contribute to recommendations for overcoming barriers and enhancing inclusivity in music education pathways.
EPASA Workshop on Student Leadership
What does it mean to be a student leader? How do different leadership styles shape individuals, teams, and communities?
This interactive workshop, led by EPASA, invites students and student representatives to explore the meaning and practice of leadership in both the performing arts and beyond. Through discussion, reflection, and practical activities, participants will develop insights into leadership roles ranging from formal positions to everyday influence.
The session will conclude with a fireside chat featuring former student leaders at different career stages, who will share their perspectives on developing leadership skills in conservatoire contexts.
Participants will leave with fresh perspectives, new connections, and ideas to take back to their institutions and artistic communities.
Music and Medicine
With: Prof. Dr Simone Graf (medicine), Prof. Dr André Lee (medicine and music), Johanna Doll (medicine and music), Prof. Isabel Gabbe (music)
Musicians begin their intensive training early in life, often accumulating more than 10,000 hours of practice by the start of higher education. While this results in exceptional technical skills, it can also give rise to health challenges that remain insufficiently addressed by general medical structures.
This session will examine the medical characteristics of musicians, focusing on topics such as hearing health, movement disorders, and preventive care. Special attention will be given to musicians’ dystonia, a neurological condition that can severely affect performance ability. Practical movement and exercise sessions will be integrated throughout the morning, offering participants tools to prevent tension and support long-term health.
The three Pre-Congress Workshops will take place on Thursday, 6 November in the morning.
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this key event for the international higher music education community.
