In 2011 the “Gesualdo da Venosa” Conservatoire celebrated its first forty years. Named after the famous sixteenth century madrigal composer, the campus is extensive – approximately 9000 square metres - divided into three buildings and a 500 seat Auditorium.
 
From 1971 until the present day it has accommodated in its classrooms the dreams and efforts of numerous musicians who have chosen to follow a path which, although not easy, is not without satisfaction.
 
The Conservatoire organizes three-year Bachelor courses in all instruments, two-year Master courses and special Teacher Training courses. It employs approximately 75 highly-skilled academic staff whose courses are attended by about 500 students. It contains a specialized library with over 6000 books, an excellent collection of instruments and a multimedia studio.
 
Potenza, one of the two provinces of Basilicata, contains a total of a hundred municipalities, one of these being the town of Potenza, the regional capital  (also the highest in Italy at 819 metres). To the west,  overlooking a narrow stretch of the Tyrrhenian Sea, it borders Campania, to the North Puglia, to the East the province of Matera and to the South Calabria. The area of Potenza is characterized by a multiplicity of environments. Indeed, there are various industrial centres, such as San Nicola di Melfi, but also completely natural areas such as  the lake of Monticchio and the artificial lakes of Monte Cotugno,  Pertusillo, Acerenza and  Rendina. Moreover, the province has its only outlet to the sea at Maratea, and contains the central area of the Lucana forest, the vast Pollino National Park, shared with the province of Matera and Calabria, and the nature reserves of Lago Pantano di Pignola (run by the WWF) and of Abetina.