The widely-expected move follows a month during which contract staff were let go and teachers of instrumental music asked to teach larger groups than the traditional one-on-one teaching.

Prof Young wrapped up the changes in announcing that a new “more flexible, more connected” degree in music would be offered at the start of 2013, resulting from a re-look at the curriculum and accelerated by “financial circumstance”. It is believed that the School falls $2.7million short each year and has been asked by the university to “live within its means”.

Prof Young said: “The 2011 Lomax-Smith review of higher education funding confirmed that government funding does not cover the costs of one-to-one music tuition, let alone buying instruments or providing appropriate teaching rooms.”

The ANU argues that under the proposed new model students will, for the first time, be able to receive academic credit for contributions to musical activities in Canberra and beyond, and that the intention was to “build on the already significant technological advances that connect students with master classes, other students and innovations at world-class music schools, across Australia and overseas”.

Shortly before a media conference held jointly by deputy vice-chancellor (academic) Prof Marnie Hughes-Warrington and the head of the School Prof Adrian Walter, a meeting was held with music students to assure them that the new arrangements would mean more flexibility.

The School, Prof Walters told them, would offer the option of choosing their own practical or professional path through a Professional Development Allowance that will be allocated to students, allowing them to choose between specialist one-to-one tuition, attending a summer course, master class or conference, or learning a new piece of music software, and real-time, video-linked lessons and sessions with the support of the Manhattan School of Music.

It is understood that the sum would be about $600 per student per semester, enough, he suggested, for them to take extra individual music classes if that was their choice.

“A change management process will run alongside the new curriculum, to ensure that staff and student needs are met. A smaller group of staff will be required to run the new offerings,” he said, adding, “existing staff have the option to apply before outside applications are invited. Those who do not secure a position in the new school will be paid their full entitlements.”

Prof Walter assured existing students that they would be able to finish the degree they started.

Following the announcements, “CityNews” has received many comments from members of the music community in Canberra.

Among them, classical guitarist and graduate of the School of Music, Matthew Withers, who said: “If the quality of the School of Music students falls, so will the quality of music tuition in the coming years be at high risk as well as the community groups and events (ie Canberra International Music Festival) throughout the ACT and Australia, and even world wide.”