The Sarajevo Music Academy was founded by a decision of the National Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 20 May 1955, as the fourth higher education institution of its kind in the former Yugoslavia, and the first established afterWorld War II. This decision was published in the Official Gazette of thePeople's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina No. 12/55 on 8 June 1955.[2]
Its founding was preceded by a number of favorable developments, including the establishment of a network of music schools, the founding of theNational Theatre, the Sarajevo Opera House, the Symphony Orchestra of RTV Sarajevo, the Institute for the Study of Folklore, and the continued activity of theSarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra.[3]
Cvjetko Rihtman, Director of the Folklore Research Institute in Sarajevo
Miroslav Špiler, Professor at the Higher Pedagogical Academy in Sarajevo
Strahinja Dramušić, representing the Council for Education, Science and Culture of the People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a rapporteur[4]
After the formation of the first teaching staff, Rihtman was elected as the first Rector. In its inaugural academic year, the Academy enrolled 42 students. Classes began on 19 December 1955 in seven departments:
The tragic events that struck the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s left the Academy without many of its teachers and associates, and the building was severely damaged on six separate occasions. One of the shell holes in the wall between the concert hall and the hallway was deliberately preserved by the Academy’s management as a symbol of those difficult times.[6] Many students left Sarajevo; of the 45 full-time teachers and assistants, only fifteen remained, and the Academy lost two-thirds of its staff. Temporary lecturers from other institutions were occasionally hired, and the number of students dropped to around 50. Teaching was further hindered by the lack of adequate facilities.[7]
Despite these challenges, instruction was interrupted only once, for a short period in May 1995, due to intense shelling. Instrumental teachers often held classes in their own homes, both for safety and due to the lack of usable space. In spite of the hardships, the remaining staff maintained their professional and human dedication. In addition to preserving the teaching process, the Academy’s teachers played a key role in establishing theOrchestra of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reviving the Sarajevo Philharmonic, and re-establishing the academic choirGaudeamus.[8]
During the war, 15 students earned bachelor’s degrees, two completed master’s degrees, and one doctoral dissertation was defended. Despite enormous difficulties, the Academy succeeded in fulfilling its core mission throughout almost the entire final decade of the 20th century.[10]
Over the course of more than 62 years, the Academy has produced over 2,700 graduates, around 300 master’s degree holders, and about 30 doctoral degree recipients. Around 300 teachers and associates have contributed to its work. Despite significant political, social, and other upheavals that affected all aspects of its functioning, the Academy has followed an upward trajectory. Today, it is an internationally recognized artistic and educational institution with well-developed departments, accredited academic programs, and active artistic and scientific output.[11]
The Academy has over 2,500 graduates, more than 200Master of Arts and Music Sciences, 20Doctors of Music Sciences and 5Doctor of Musical Arts. It also publishes the monthly student music magazine "Music".[56][57]
