Europe’s music academies on the brink of extinction

NEW YORK — Europe’s music education and research academies are on the verge of collapse, as researchers and students flee the continent to work for less-expensive foreign companies, experts say.

The exodus is being driven by rising salaries, less rigorous curriculum, and a lack of skilled workers, said Patrick Dolan, a professor of education at the University of Connecticut.

“There’s a lack the supply of people, a shortage of talent, and I think this is really driving the exodus,” Dolan said.

The European Union is planning to slash its budget for music education, and the continent’s top music academy — the Aalaap Music Academy in Cairns, Australia — has already said it would be shut down.

The Aalaas music academy has a high-profile location in Sydney and is a flagship academy for the region, where the country’s elite can perform and study music under a rigorous curriculum.

But the school also offers a more affordable option in Sydney’s south-east, where many Australian students can afford to live.

The move to Sydney has led to a drop in attendance, as the country struggles to attract foreign talent to the city and its schools, according to Aalaaps director of communications and communications services Mark McLeod.

He says many of the school’s students have moved to New York and are finding it harder to maintain their education in Australia.

The Australian government has said the loss of talent could cost it as much as $15 billion a year by 2030, and has vowed to boost the countrys educational infrastructure.