New music school

Southbank is set to become one of the world’s best training grounds for the arts, with the construction of a new Melbourne Conservatorium of Music on Sturt St.

The project, which is a collaboration between the State Government and the University of Melbourne, will relocate and expand the university’s elite music education and research facility from Parkville to Southbank.

The conservatorium, which will open to students in 2019, will be built at 33 Sturt St next to the Melbourne Recital Centre and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

The new facility will offer the most comprehensive range of music courses available, adding to Southbank’s rich tapestry of creative education institutions, which already includes the VCA, the VCA Secondary School and the Australian Ballet School.

The State Government has contributed the land under a long-term lease arrangement, as well as $3 million. Major philanthropic partners also support the project.

The $105.5 million development is expected to generate $350 million for the state and create more than 2000 jobs during construction.

The conservatorium will include a 400-seat auditorium and will open up a new public outdoor space linking Dodds and Sturt Streets.

Acting Premier James Merlino said the world-class facility would provide a huge boost to Southbank and the state.

“Southbank is already home to an extraordinary concentration of top calibre arts training facilities, as well as the best art galleries and performance venues in the country,” he said.

“The conservatorium will bring students from around Victoria, Australia and the world, giving them skills for the rest of their career.”