The principal objective of the school is to offer instruction at all levels in the study and performance of early music.

In addition to its main activities  (individual lessons, master classes and ensemble performance), SMAV is actively engaged in early music festivals, concerts and recordings. Among other important events, the school organised the Festival of Early Music in Venice in 1992 and 1994. Each year from 1999 to 2007 SMAV has participated in Venezia Suona – Festa Europea della Musica. Since 1997, the school has collaborated with the Querini Stampalia Foundation in performing each Friday and Saturday in the series “Musica in Museo”. More than 2000 concerts have been given in the Querini Stampalia palace during the past thirteen years.

In 1996, a CD was issued featuring members of the school faculty, entitled “Venetian Music in the Age of Gimabattista Tiepolo”.

SMAV has also published a musical guide to Venice by Aldo Bova, “Venezia: i luoghi della musica” (1995), and in 2002 a facsimile edition (with scholarly essays) of a recently discovered manuscript of Venetian baroque dances, “I balli di Giovanni Grossatesta”.

SMAV is also active in promoting exchange programs with other schools and institutions. Faculty members have been invited to teach at the conservatories of Zwolle (Netherlands) and Potenza (Italy), as well as the universities of Graz (Austria) and Cremona (Italy).

SMAV has participated in the MediMuses Project, sponsored by the European Union.