"Cornetti" Traditional School of Arts and Crafts

"Cornetti" School was the first musical education institution in Craiova, inaugurated in the fall of 1911 by bringing into the spot light the generous donation made by the family of Elefterie Crăciun-Cornetti and Elena, born Zissi.

The story begins at the turn of two centuries, with two determined people who had a nice thought in mind: to build a music school in the town of Craiova. Elena and Elefterie Cornetti, nostalgic about the patronage of the arts from the golden times, recalling the inaugural magnitude and significance of some ancient rulers' donations, have left their entire estate to the City Hall for it to establish an institution of musical education, as the ones which, at that time, were only in Bucharest and Iasi. In the fall of 1911, the School of Music "Elefterie and Elena Cornetti, born Zissi" opens its gates in a festive ceremony. Starting with only six classes and several hearty teachers, the School expanded over time its range of activities, including plastic arts, theatre, choreography, photography and cinematography. The number of classes and the number of the students has been steadily increasing, so that today more than 400 students complete their artistic education in the "Cornetti" School.

The "Cornetti" School initiates and conducts educational programs in long-term education, traditional culture and folk arts, consistently aiming to:
- foster creativity and talent;
- cultivate the traditional values, the authenticity of the contemporary folk art, as well as of the unprofessional performing arts: vocal and instrumental music, choreography (classical dance and folk dance), theatre (acting), visual arts (graphics, painting, film);
- develop cultural exchanges at county, national and international level;
- ensure the conservation, valorization and transmission of the moral, artistic and technical values of the local community, as well as those of the national and world cultural heritage.