The Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon (CNSMD Lyon) is a French public higher education institution under the Ministry of Culture, founded in 1988. It trains 500 musicians and 90 dancers across undergraduate and graduate programs in classical performance, composition, conducting, early music, and dance. Annual tuition is approximately 530 EUR, making it one of the most affordable elite conservatories in the world. Foreign students account for 15% of enrollment.
Here is the Oscar acceptance speech for "El Mal" from Emilia Perez, co-written by CNSMD Lyon alumnus Clement Ducol, who won Best Original Song at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025:
Notable Alumni
CNSMD Lyon graduates have won Academy Awards, led major dance companies, and collaborated with artists across classical, jazz, world, and film music:
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Clement Ducol - Composer and multi-instrumentalist. A former student in CNSMD Lyon's composition for image class, Ducol co-wrote the music for Jacques Audiard's film Emilia Perez (2024) with singer Camille. "El Mal" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and the Cesar for Best Original Music at the 2025 ceremonies. The film accumulated nearly 30 awards across the awards season. Ducol and Camille wrote six different versions of "El Mal" before settling on the final arrangement, drawing references from Bob Dylan's protest songs, Talking Heads, and the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil."
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Vincent Segal - Cellist and bassist. Studied cello at CNSMD Lyon where he earned a premier prix, then completed a fellowship at the Banff Fine Arts School in Canada. Segal has collaborated with Sting, Elvis Costello, Cesaria Evora, Matthieu Chedid (-M-), Carlinhos Brown, and Alexandre Desplat. He forms the duo Bumcello with percussionist Cyril Atef, which won the Victoires de la Musique in 2006. His 2009 album Chamber Music with Malian kora player Ballake Sissoko was recorded in Bamako, Mali and widely acclaimed. Here he performs with Sissoko at the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert:
- Benjamin Millepied - Choreographer, director, and former principal dancer at New York City Ballet. He entered CNSMD Lyon at age 13 to study dance. Millepied choreographed and appeared in Darren Aronofsky's film Black Swan (2010). He served as Director of Dance at the Paris Opera Ballet from 2013 to 2016. In 2012 he founded L.A. Dance Project, which he expanded to Paris as Paris Dance Project in 2022. Here is a film of his Romeo and Juliet choreography for L.A. Dance Project, featuring Margaret Qualley and Shameik Moore, from the NOWNESS YouTube channel:
- Alice Duport-Percier - Soprano and composer. A former student in early music singing at CNSMD Lyon. She is the voice of the soundtrack for the video game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025), composed by Lorien Testard. The soundtrack reached number 1 on the Billboard classical music chart. The 33-minute track "Nos vies en Lumiere" has over 1.4 million views on YouTube. Here is the full track from the Sandfall Interactive YouTube channel:
- Lucie Antunes - Percussionist and composer. A CNSMD Lyon alumna working in contemporary music. She was the artist in resonance at the 2025 Nuits de Fourviere festival in Lyon, presenting five projects across the edition.
- Anne-Lise Polchlopek - Mezzo-soprano. A former student in Mireille Delunsch's voice class at CNSMD Lyon. Her debut album Gracias a la vida (2025) was praised by Le Monde, which noted her ability to pose as many expressive challenges in under three minutes as a complete opera.
Programs and Degrees
CNSMD Lyon follows the Bologna system with two cycles. The first cycle (3 years) leads to the DNSPM (Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Musicien), equivalent to a bachelor's degree. The second cycle (2 years) leads to a Master's degree. The conservatory also offers doctoral-level programs and international joint degrees.
The conservatory launched a redesigned Master's program in September 2025, with a focus on artistic autonomy, professionalization, and civic engagement. The new curriculum reduces scheduled courses in semesters 1 and 4 to give students time for personal project development and a final recital with research thesis.
Programs are organized across ten departments:
- Strings: Violin, viola, cello, double bass
- Woodwinds: Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone
- Brass: Trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba
- Keyboards: Piano, organ, piano accompaniment
- Voice and Choral: Opera, vocal performance, choral conducting
- Writing and Composition: Instrumental composition, electroacoustic composition, mixed music composition, composition for film and image
- Early Music: Harpsichord, lute, baroque flute, baroque bassoon, cornett, sackbut, early vocal music
- Chamber Music: Specialized training for established ensembles
- Dance: Classical and contemporary dance training
- Teaching Certification (CA): Certificate of qualification for music and dance pedagogy
International programs include InMICS (International Master in Composition for Screen) and CoPeCo (Contemporary Performance and Composition), offered in partnership with European institutions.
Tuition and Admissions
For the 2026-27 academic year, CNSMD Lyon charges:
- Tuition: 530 EUR per year
- CVEC (Student and Campus Life Contribution): 103 EUR per year
- Media Library fee: 23 EUR per year
- Entrance exam fee: 92 EUR per candidate (187 EUR for chamber music groups)
CROUS scholarship holders are exempt from both the entrance exam fee and tuition. The conservatory also offers project support scholarships through partnerships with ADAMI, Societe Generale Foundation, and the Roi Baudouin Foundation (Nguyen-Thien Dao Scholarships for cultural fusion projects).
Admission is by competitive audition only. The 2026 entrance examination programs were published in November 2025, with auditions held in early 2026. Each department has specific repertoire requirements available on the CNSMD Lyon admissions page. The school participates in the Erasmus exchange network with 50 partner institutions and has additional partnerships with schools in Montreal, Bogota, and Beirut.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
CNSMD Lyon's faculty consists of 180 teachers, assistants, and attendants, many of whom are active performers in major European orchestras and ensembles. The current director is pianist Gery Moutier, who leads the conservatory with a deputy director and directors of musical and choreographic studies.
The conservatory's alumni perform in orchestras across France and Europe, hold teaching positions in conservatories worldwide, and have won prizes in international competitions. The school's partnerships with SACEM, SPEDIDAM, and Societe Generale provide graduates with professional development support including instrument purchases, competition preparation, and audition travel funding.
The conservatory presents approximately 300 public events per academic year, giving students regular performance opportunities in professional venues throughout Lyon and partner institutions.
Why It Matters for Aspiring Musicians
CNSMD Lyon offers elite-level training at a fraction of the cost of American or British conservatories. At 530 EUR per year, the total tuition for a three-year undergraduate program is under 1,600 EUR. This makes it accessible to talented musicians regardless of financial background, provided they can pass the competitive entrance exam and manage living expenses in Lyon.
The school is particularly strong in early music and contemporary composition. Students specializing in baroque performance or electroacoustic composition will find specialized faculty and facilities that few other institutions offer. The new Master's program launched in 2025 also emphasizes ecological awareness, intercultural exchange, and audience mediation, reflecting evolving priorities in the European arts sector.
French language proficiency is generally required for admission, though some international programs (InMICS, CoPeCo) operate in English. Prospective applicants should review the specific repertoire requirements for their department well in advance of the audition dates. Visit the CNSMD Lyon website for current examination programs and application timelines. You can also compare programs in our music schools directory.
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Similar Schools
- Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP) - France's other national superior conservatory, located in Paris
- Royal Conservatoire of the Hague - A comparable European conservatory with strong early music and contemporary programs
- Royal Academy of Music - A leading European conservatory with similar classical and contemporary offerings
- Franz Liszt Academy - Another European conservatory combining classical excellence with affordable tuition
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama - A UK conservatory that, like CNSMD Lyon, trains both musicians and dancers
