The National Conservatory of Music was established in 1993. Under the guidance of Birzeit University’s board of trustees, the conservatory opened its first branch in Ramallah. In 2005, as a symbolic tribute to the late intellectual Edward Said, the conservatory changed its name. By 2014, the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM) had five branches in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Gaza, Nablus and Ramallah. Today, more than 1,000students are enrolled at its different branches, educational programs and activities. At the heart of the conservatory’s endeavors is the belief that musical education bolsters and invigorates Palestinian identity and culture. The ESNCM’s musical mission is teaching and promoting music to all Palestinians wherever they are. ESNCM’s work can be summed up into three main pillars: music education, audience building, and cultural infrastructure investments. These pillars help the conservatory achieve its goals of providing Palestinian society with creative and committed musicians capable of teaching and promoting music, encouraging and enhancing music appreciation and interest within the public, and upgrading the conservatory’s performance toward fulfilling its vision, mission objectives and sustainability.