The governing boards of St. Paul Conservatory of Music and St. Joseph’s School of Music have announced they have merged into a new school.

The merger was effective Oct. 1 and the new name will be made public in coming months. The school operates out of the restored and historic Richards Gordon School at 1619 Dayton Ave. in St. Paul where St. Joseph’s School of Music has been since early 2022.

“The new school will build on the strengths of both schools and honor their legacies in Saint Paul,” said Nina Archabal, the new school’s board chair, in the press release.

The merged school enrolled 650 students this fall and had 90 faculty members. The school will offer online and in-person music lessons, free community concerts, master classes, summer music camps, an honors competition, service to St. Paul Public Schools and a nationally-recognized chamber music institute. Scholarships are available.

St. Joseph’s School of Music itself was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph through the merger of St. Joseph’s Academy Music Department with St. Agatha’s Conservatory in 1970.

The merged school will be led by Mary Larew, former executive director of St. Paul Conservatory of Music. Madeline Cieslak, longtime executive director of St. Joseph’s School of Music, will assist Larew during the transition and retire at the end of January. Cieslak has been named director emerita.

“The merging of these two wonderful St. Paul-based community music schools opens so many prospects for our collective future,” Larew said. “Both schools historically shared a commitment to the highest standards of musicianship and to making music available to all members of our community, regardless of means. Merging combines our resources and our strengths, fueling more collaboration, more music, and a stronger community of music makers and music lovers.”

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