Originally established in 1956 as the Sài Gòn National School of Music (Trường Quốc gia Âm nhạc Sài Gòn), the institution was expanded a few years later to incorporate the teaching of drama under the name Sài Gòn National School of Music and Drama (Trường Quốc gia Âm nhạc và Kịch nghệ Sài Gòn). After Reunification in 1975 drama teaching was transferred to the new School of Stage Arts II Hồ Chí Minh City (Trường Nghệ thuật Sân khấu II Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh, now the Hồ Chí Minh City College of Stage Arts and Film) and this institution became known as the Hồ Chí Minh National School of Music (Trường Quốc gia Âm nhạc Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh). It was renamed Hồ Chí Minh City Conservatory of Music in 1981. From 1978 until the opening of the Hồ Chí Minh City Dance School in 1986 the Conservatory was also briefly responsible for the teaching of dance. The Conservatory currently offers four-year Bachelor of Music programmes and two-year Master of Music programmes; primary, secondary and adult training programmes are also available. The Conservatory is actively involved in exchanges and co-operation with sister institutions overseas with a view to improving the quality of its training and upgrading its facilities and equipment for teaching and learning.