HEMU

What HEMU does

HEMU (Haute Ecole de Musique) is a publicly funded, non-profit Swiss higher-education institution dedicated to music performance and pedagogy, operating as a foundation under the HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland) umbrella. It delivers accredited higher-education programs in three disciplines: classical music (founded 1860), jazz (since 2006) and contemporary music (since 2016), taught by 80+ faculty members to a student body of 500+ drawn from 47 nationalities. The institution operates across four campuses in Lausanne (Classique, Jazz), Granges-Paccot (Fribourg) and Sion (Valais), and delivers more than 300 public performances per year.

Its core 'products' are accredited degree programs, masterclasses, ensemble work and a portfolio of 300+ annual public performances, supported by formal research activity in music pedagogy exemplified by the TOSCA project on clarinet orchestral excerpts. There is no commercial technology platform; the underlying infrastructure is physical (campuses, studios, concert venues) and human (faculty, partner orchestras and festivals). Distribution is mediated through embedded partnerships with the Verbier Festival, Montreux Jazz, the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (OCL), RTS, the Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB) and the Ghana Jazz Foundation.

HEMU's business model is that of a Swiss public higher-education institution: revenue is sourced from federal and cantonal grants (Swiss Confederation, Vaud, Fribourg, Valais), supplemented by limited tuition and performance-related income. There is no commercial monetization layer, no equity funding and no investor base; governance is foundation-based and accountable to public authorities and the HES-SO network (which collectively serves 19,400 students). Strategic positioning is therefore not growth-investor oriented but anchored in accreditation, public-mandate delivery and cultural-output metrics.

Name

HEMU

Legal name

HEMU - Haute Ecole de Musique

Website

https://hemu.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1860

Operating status

Operating

Short description

HEMU is a publicly funded, non-profit Swiss higher-education institution delivering accredited classical, jazz and contemporary music programs across campuses in Lausanne, Fribourg and Sion, serving 500+ students from 47 nationalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Conservatories & Music Colleges (EDAHAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE), Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE), Performance Coaching & Competition Preparation (Auditions, Recitals) (EDAMANAL), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Songwriting, Composition & Arranging (EDAMANAG)

Keywords

• Higher music education
• Classical music performance
• Jazz music training
• Contemporary music pedagogy
• Music conservatory programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Higher Education Funding: As a HES-SO institution, HEMU receives Swiss Confederation and cantonal government subsidies. Studies are accredited by the Swiss Confederation and recognized internationally.
2. Private Donations and Support: The institution receives support through foundations, sponsors, and the Association des Amis du Conservatoire de Lausanne (AACL) which distributes scholarships to students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HEMU - Haute École de Musique delivers higher-education music training in classical, jazz, and contemporary/pop music through Bachelor and Master degree programs, music-pedagogy tracks, school-music teaching degrees, and CAS continuing-education certificates. Instruction is delivered by internationally renowned faculty at four campuses across the Vaud, Valais, and Fribourg cantons of Switzerland, complemented by professional performance ensembles and 300+ annual public concerts.

Product overview

HEMU - Haute École de Musique is a Swiss music conservatory offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and ensemble activities across classical music, jazz, and contemporary/pop music disciplines. The institution provides Bachelor and Master degree programs in music performance, pedagogy, and project creation, alongside continuing education offerings and vibrant ensemble activities. The school operates across four campuses (Vaud, Fribourg, Valais, and the BCV Concert Hall) and produces over 300 public performances annually. The portfolio is organized around three core pillars: undergraduate (Bachelor) programs, graduate (Master) specializations, and continuing education, supported by professional ensembles including orchestra, jazz orchestra, choir, and chamber groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor in Classical Music - Instrumental/Vocal

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• HES-SO (Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2009, HEMU has been part of the 'Musique et arts de la scène' domain of HES-SO, the largest network of higher professional education in Switzerland with 19,400 students. This membership provides institutional accreditation, inter-school collaboration, and access to research resources across the network.
• BCV Concert HallmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCV Concert Hall (Lausanne) serves as a primary venue for HEMU student performances and concerts, including the Jazz and Musiques Actuelles campus location.
• Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (OCL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative performances where HEMU students join OCL for orchestral experience, including joint concerts such as the Grand Concert OCL-HEMU.
• Conservatoire de LausannecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical connection with shared facilities and collaborative programs; HEMU emerged from the Conservatoire de Lausanne following the Bologna reform.
• Jazz festivals (Montreux, Cully, JazzOnze+, etc.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEMU Jazz Orchestra and student groups perform at major Swiss jazz festivals including Montreux Jazz Festival, Cully Jazz Festival, JazzOnze+, providing students with professional performance experience.
• Verbier FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing masterclass and performance opportunities for advanced students at one of Switzerland's most prestigious classical music festivals.
• University of Lausanne, Université de Genève, Université de FribourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnerships enabling interdisciplinary collaboration, research exchange, and student mobility within the Swiss university ecosystem.
• Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with HKB (Bern University of the Arts) for student exchange, collaborative projects, and research in music and performing arts.
• Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for broadcasting student performances and concerts ('Des masters sur les ondes', 'La Note Bleue' programs).
• Ghana Jazz Foundation / Accra Jazz AcademystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss-Ghana Jazz Experience program enables 10 HEMU students annually to travel to Ghana for cultural exchange at +233 Jazz Club and Alliance Française Accra.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Université de musique et de théâtre de Vienne (MDW): Major European conservatory with broad offerings in classical, jazz, and contemporary music performance, pedagogy, and research. Comparable in scale and program breadth to HEMU within a larger European capital ecosystem.
• Berklee College of Music: Global leader in contemporary, jazz, and pop music education with extensive online programs. Competes with HEMU for top international students, particularly in jazz and contemporary/pop music categories.
• Royal Academy of Music (London): Established UK conservatory offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in classical and contemporary music. Comparable to HEMU in mission and prestige tier, with a much broader international student pipeline.
• Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (CNSMDP): One of Europe's most prestigious conservatories, offering advanced classical, jazz, and contemporary music training. Functions as a broader incumbent competitor for elite international applicants considering French-speaking European conservatories.

Direct peers

• Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB): Bern University of the Arts is a Swiss partner institution of HEMU with formal student exchange and research collaboration. It offers comparable Bachelor and Master programs in music and performing arts across jazz, classical, and contemporary music disciplines.
• Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK): Zurich University of the Arts is one of Switzerland's largest arts and music universities, offering degree programs in classical, jazz, and contemporary music. It is the closest direct competitor within the Swiss Higher Education landscape.
• Haute école de musique de Genève (HEMGE): Swiss HES-SO sister institution in Geneva providing higher education in music and performing arts. Operates in the same institutional network as HEMU and competes for similar French-speaking Swiss and international students.
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Scottish conservatory offering degree programs in classical, jazz, traditional, and contemporary music with a similar mission to HEMU. Comparable in scale, institutional mission, and operating model.
• Sibelius Academy (University of the Arts Helsinki): Finnish music university offering degrees in classical, jazz, and folk/contemporary music. Comparable European conservatory with a similar research-active mission and blended classical-plus-contemporary portfolio.

Regional players

• Conservatoire de Musique de Genève: Geneva-based music conservatory offering pre-professional and amateur music education in the Lake Geneva region. It is a regional peer with overlapping applicant pool but does not compete directly in Lausanne.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLwBkWEcclH3RBBQYP69jPoYfibY6NfRwS

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HEMU