Teaching at Italian conservatories was regulated by a 1918 law for over 80 years. In 1999, following approval of the reform law no. 508, intended to reform higher-level music education to European programs, the Three-year level I and two-year level II academic programs were introduced. While this complex program of reforms – still ongoing – was being introduced, the previous study programs were kept in place before being definitively cancelled by subsequent laws. It is now no longer possible to enrol for the old system: the courses are in place “until completion”, i.e., only to allow those students who commenced them to finish them.