The $105 million development will be situated in the heart of the city’s arts precinct, in the Southbank area.

Victoria’s Andrews Government has announced today the planned construction of a new Melbourne Conservatorium of Music building in the heart of the city’s main arts precinct, the Southbank. The purpose-built campus, featuring state of the art facilities including a 400-seat concert hall, will be located a stone’s throw from the Arts Centre Melbourne and the Hamer Hall, and adjacent to the Melbourne Recital Centre on Sturt Street.

An artist rendering of the 400 seat concert hall

The area is already home to the Australian Ballet School and the VCA, and it is hoped that the new Melbourne Conservatorium campus will attract thousands of local and international students to the city. Professor Glyn Davis, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne said the new institution will be “truly world-class,” adding, “It will deliver enormous benefits to Victoria.”

Premier Andrews announced the new Melbourne Con development on social media, saying, “Say you’ve just finished high school in Victoria, and you’re an absolute gun violinist or pianist, and you have your heart set on a career travelling the world in a famous orchestra. Well, right now the first thing you would do is move overseas, because the music conservatories in Europe are second to none. That’s all about to change.”

The new building has been designed by leading Melbourne architecture firm John Wardle Architects. Among their portfolio of buildings are a number of major education commissions including the Jeffrey Smart Building at the University of South Australia and the Melbourne School of Design.

A rendering of the new building’s exterior

The Labor Government is contributing the land under a long-term lease arrangement, as well as $3 million towards building costs. The completed development, which will be largely supported by major philanthropic partners, is due to run to $105.5 million, but it is expected to generate $350 million for the State and create more than 2000 jobs during its construction.