The Peabody Conservatory

The Peabody Conservatory. . Established in 1857 by the philanthropist George Peabody, The Peabody Conservatory of Music was the first institution in America for the education of professional musicians. The list of those who have taught or studied here reads like a “Who’s Who of American Music.” , Construction of the main building of the Conservatory began in 1859 under the direction of Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind, who designed it in the Renaissance Revival style. The Concert Hall of the Conservatory is regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of a nineteenth century recital hall. Innumerable musical celebrities ranging from Stravinsky to Eubie Blake have performed here, as well as such famous lecturers as Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mark Twain and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Each year about 500 young people from all over America and abroad study at the Conservatory for degrees in professional musicianship. In addition, nearly 3000 students from the Baltimore area attend classes in the Conservatory Preparatory School. In 1977, Peabody affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University.