The singer Lilli Lehmann began private singing courses in the rooms of the Mozarteum in the summer of 1916, thus establishing the beginning of the International Summer Academy of the Mozarteum University. In 1925 Willy Schweyda added a first violin course to the Academy, and in 1929, with the support of the American Julian Freedman, the Summer Academy was expanded to include courses in piano, composition, conducting and opera. From 1930 to 1937 the institution was run as the "Musical Summer Courses", from 1937 to 1940 as the "Mozarteum Summer Academy" for music, theater and dance, and between 1940 and 1944 as the "Summer Academy for Foreigners at the Mozarteum". After 1945 it was reorganized by Bernhard Paumgartner, and since 1947 it has borne the present name "International Summer Academy Mozarteum University". Its previous directors were Bernhard Paumgartner, Eberhard Preussner, Heinz Scholz, Robert Wagner, Paul Schilhawsky, Rolf Liebermann, Peter Lang, Paul Roczek, Alexander Müllenbach, Reinhart von Gutzeit, Siegfried Mauser and Wolfgang Holzmair.
Since 2019, the International Summer Academy has been directed by Hannfried Lucke.