In 1885, Antonina Yermolayeva, alumni of the
Moscow Conservatory, opened a private music school with the support of her sisters Yelizaveta and Yevgeniya. Antonina Yermolayeva became director of the school. Musical classes under the Baku department of the "Musical Union of
Russia" were opened on the basis of this school in 1901. Antonina Yermolayeva was in charge of them too. Education in these classes was professional. In 1916, musical courses were transformed into a musical school. Pedagogical staff of the school mainly consisted of alumni of Russian conservatoires. Education was based on the curriculum which was accepted in
Saint Petersburg and
Moscow, in the beginning of the 19th century. In, 1922,
Uzeyir Hajibeyov, eminent Azerbaijani composer, led the school. New faculties, where foundation of theory and play on Eastern instruments was also taught along with the European instruments, were opened in time of Uzeyir Hajibeyov's direction (1922-1926 and 1939–1941). In 1953, the school was named after
Asaf Zeynally, an Azerbaijani composer and pedagogue. ==Famous alumni==