together with his father, he established the christiania organist school in 1883, with 12 students. in 1885 it had 174 students and was renamed the music and organist school. this was renamed again in 1892 to the christiania music conservatory, which was the only institution of its kind in norway until 1905. lindeman's wife, the pianist and composer anna severine lindeman, also taught at the school. after lindeman's death in 1930, his son, the cellist trygve lindeman (1896–1979), headed the school.