In Sweden, students can choose practical training in classical music already in elementary school. Several universities and university colleges offer advanced professional programs in voice, all orchestral instruments, piano and composing. Teachers are often practicing musicians at the highest international levels, and there are chamber music and orchestra activities in the different departments. This helps preserve the tradition of classical music, but also opens up for new currents in the genre.

Ever heard of Christian Lindberg, the Swedish trombone virtuoso? Despite the fact that he only started playing the trombone at the age of 17, he moved on to become the world's first full-time, professional trombone soloist.

On the Swedish opera scene, mezzo soprano Anne Sofie von Otter is one of the brightest shining stars. Other big names are soprano Erika Sunnegårdh, alto Anna Larsson and baritone Peter Mattei.

There are numerous concert venues all across Sweden, Berwaldhallen in Stockholm being one of them. Its ensembles the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Choir have become important ambassadors for Swedish classical music abroad. In all of Sweden, there are eight symphony orchestras, four professional chamber orchestras and four opera stages, as well as 122 chamber music societies.