In keeping with Timișoara’s long and rich cultural and musical tradition and succeeding a series of private schools, music clubs and choral associations of the various local ethnic communities, Timișoara Conservatory was established in 1907. Set up in a housing building on Palanca Street, it used instruments and specific furniture that teacher Rudolf Karrasz had brought from his private school.
In 1908, the Conservatory moved in a building on 1 Emanoil Ungureanu Street, part of a former Franciscan monastery dating from 1740 and which functioned in relation to the Franciscan Church of the Superior Bosnians in Libertății Square (the church itself, built between 1733 and 1736, was pulled down in 1911 and replaced with architect László Székely’s Credit Bank). In 1788, after a Jesuit period, the complex was assigned, by decree of Emperor Joseph II, to the Piarist Order – the street where the monastery and the middle school are located would be called, in the 18th and the 19th centuries, Piarist Street.
The former monastery unable to accommodate the increasing number of students at the beginning of the 20th century, plans for building a large complex were made, and so the City transferred the monastic ensemble to the newly founded music school, renamed, after 1918 and following the European model, Conservatory. Today, the building houses the Timiș County Cultural and Artistic Centre and the School of Arts and is also home of Ansamblul Profesional Banatul (Banatul Professional Folk Music and Dance Ensemble).
In accordance with its age – it is one of the oldest buildings in the Cetate neighbourhood – and its initial function – part of a monastic complex –, the edifice is of an austere appearance. One-storey, its simple façade, punctuated by the profiled frames bordering the openings of the seven spans, is incorporated into the continuous front of the surrounding block. The access, via a double wooden door, corresponds to the central span and is excavated in relation to the façade. The woodwork of the double-framed windows conforms to the historical model. The street side is protected by a wooden roof truss covered in fish scale tile.
One of the most famous students of the Timișoara Conservatory is György Kurtág, who trained there between 1940 and 1945, and the teaching staff included composer and musicologist Zeno Vancea.
Recently renovated, the building is on the list of historical monuments (code number TM-II-m-A-06172) and it is also part of the Cetate Neighbourhood Urban Site (code number TM-II-s-A-06095).
References:
Szűcs Blănaru, Amalia. Max Eisikovits, György Kurtág, György Ligeti – trei compozitori din România [Max Eisikovits, György Kurtág, György Ligeti – Three Composers from Romania]. Symbolon Volume XIX. Special Number. Music
Ilieșiu, Nicolae. Timișoara. Monografie istorică [Timișoara. A Historical Monograph], Timișoara: Editura Planetarium, 2012
Buruleanu, Dan, and Medeleț, Florin. Timișoara. Povestea orașelor sale [Timișoara. The Story of Her Cities], Timișoara: Editura Solness
Opriș, Mihai. Cvartal 25, Cartarea monumentelor istorice din situl urban „Cetatea Timişoara” [Block 25. Mapping Historical Monuments in the Cetate Urban Site]
https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/timisoara/istoria-primei-scoli-de-muzica-din-timisoara-1811966.html