PCC 60!

This year our conservatory celebrates its 60th anniversary, and we’re definitely not letting it pass quietly! To mark the occasion, we’re organizing a lively anniversary program filled with musical events. Together with visitors, neighbors, students, colleagues, and people from the city and wider Groningen region, we celebrate the power of music. Because when it’s your birthday, you treat others—to concerts, encounters, and special moments. This webpage will be regularly updated with new events and activities, so drop by and celebrate the future of music with us!

PCC Presents

The highlight of our anniversary program will take place during a special edition of PCC Presents, from May 18 to 22. It will be a week full of presentations and concerts by students from all years and disciplines, held at various locations in and around Groningen.

Additionally, our anniversary program includes:

PCC Live
Wednesday April 1, 19.30,  Prins Claus Conservatorium
An evening full of live music by our students.

Coffee Break

Thursday May 7, 11.00,  Kunstpunt Groningen
This coffee concert offers a unique glimpse into the musical development of emerging talent from all graduating disciplines.

PCC Live
Wednesday May 13, 19.30,  Prins Claus Conservatorium
An evening full of live music by our students.

Coffee Break

Thursday May 28, 11.00,  Kunstpunt GroningenThis coffee concert offers a unique glimpse into the musical development of emerging talent from all graduating disciplines.

A bit of history
The Prins Claus Conservatorium (PCC) in Groningen traces its origins back to 1965, when the Stedelijk Muzieklyceum became an independent conservatoire. In 1990, the institute took on an important regional role after merging with programs from Leeuwarden. During the 1990s, the conservatoire repositioned itself by investing in quality, a clear identity, and strong connections with the professional field.

Since 2005, the conservatoire has been named after Prince Claus and has been part of Hanze University of Applied Sciences. With over 300 students and an international learning environment, it places strong emphasis on collaboration and international exchange. It maintains long-term partnerships with institutions such as the Hochschule für Künste Bremen, NLA University Oslo, Royal Conservatoire Aarhus, and Popakademie Mannheim.

People in the city of Groningen and in the wider region who love music are sure to encounter our students. Thanks to our practice-based programs and close ties with the cultural sector, PCC alumni are active across all areas of musical life in the North. Each year, around 75 music professionals graduate, many of whom continue to contribute to the city and region—as music teachers, conductors, studio musicians, composers, and performers in fields such as education, healthcare, festivals, and orchestras including the Noord Nederlands Orkest, the Noordpool Orkest, and the KMK JWF. In this way, the conservatoire acts as a driving force behind the thriving musical infrastructure of the North of the Netherlands.

60 years of music for the future
During this anniversary, the conservatoire is especially focused on looking ahead. It is committed to continuing its development as a leading and sustainable institution for the music professionals of tomorrow.

The PCC aims to be a place for growth, where young musicians prepare for a dynamic and challenging professional future. With enthusiasm and their own musical voice, they are encouraged to contribute to today’s social and cultural landscape. During their studies, they gain extensive experience in a wide range of professional settings—not only at festivals, schools, orchestras, or in the music industry, but also in healthcare institutions, community centers, and other organizations within the social sector. In this way, the Prins Claus Conservatorium fosters a learning community of versatile music professionals who are active artistically, socially, and internationally.