Children’s music, art and painting schools are state institutions that form the artistic and aesthetic taste of children, adolescents, and youth and provide culture and art education. Schools offer primary and secondary education in music, painting, and choreography, forming their aesthetic taste based on the best examples of Azerbaijani folk, classical and world culture, and art. They create conditions for discovering the abilities of children, adolescents and youth and the development of their talents. The period of study at the schools is 4, 5, 7 and 11 years. Thus, the most talented and capable students are admitted to secondary and higher education institutions in relevant specialities to continue their education.
Music is taught in children’s music schools, painting in painting schools, music, painting, and choreography in art schools. The following departments operate in schools accordingly:
- music: piano (piano-jazz, synthesizer), string instruments, wind and percussion instruments, folk instruments, singing, vocals, pop singing, choir, as well as theory, composition and jazz-improvisation as a speciality class in 11 years of education, choir conducting, et cetera;
- painting: painting department;
- choreography: choreography department.
The schools have a theory department for solfeggio and music literature. This department may include music literacy and music listening, choir, harmony and other related subjects.
Music and art schools are state-funded. However, in addition to the state plan, the school can provide paid education in various specialities.
The Development Programme for Improving the Activities of Children’s Music, Art and Painting Schools in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2009-2013, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers Decision (August 27, 2008), aims to improve organisational and infrastructural provisions in this field. As a result, schools are provided with musical instruments, hard and soft equipment, books, CDs with performances by well-known composers and musicians, and other necessary equipment for each new school year.
The Ministry for Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan launched the Educational portal of children’s music and art schools in 2017. The portal contains information about the country and world composers, notes of their works, the activities of the education system in the field of music in our country, teaching in music and art schools, and the rules of admission to schools. In addition, video materials about master classes, methodical aids, and information about musical instruments are also available on the portal.
The new Children’s Schools of Music, Arts and Painting Model Regulations was approved by the Decision of the Board of the Ministry for Culture on November 8, 2018.
Table 4: Children’s musical, art and painting schools in the system of Ministry for Culture at the beginning of the 2019/ 2020 school year
| 2019/ 2020 | |
| Number of children’s music, art and painting schools | 238 |
| including by types of schools: | |
| Children’s music schools | 184 |
| of which number of pupils, person | 44 907 |
| Total number of children’s musical schools in rural places | 68 |
| of which number of pupils, person | 10 392 |
| Art and painting schools | 54 |
| of which number of pupils, person | 17 386 |
| Number of pupils in children’s music, art and painting schools | 62 293 |
| including by divisions: | |
| Piano | 29 238 |
| National music instruments (tar, kemancha, lute, voice-mugham, canon, accordion, balaban) | 22 738 |
| Wind- and brass-instruments (flute, clarinet, trumpet, tambourine, drum etc.) | 1 146 |
| String instruments (violin, violoncello) | 3 037 |
| Mugham | 2 884 |
| Vocal | 335 |
| Accordion | 12 |
| Guitar | 70 |
| Fine arts | 1 544 |
| Choreography | 1 136 |
| Theatre | 153 |
| Number of teachers in children’s music, art and painting schools | 16 051 |
| of which in children’s music schools | 11 752 |
| of which art and painting schools | 4 299 |
Source: The Ministry for Culture, 2021; The State Statistical Committee, 2021.
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