Manhattan School of Music

Manhattan School of Music

Manhattan School of Music is a preeminent international conservatory of music granting Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Established in 1918 by pianist and philanthropist Janet Daniels Schenck, the School is dedicated to the personal, artistic, and intellectual development of each of its students, who range in age from the precollege through the postgraduate level. Offering both classical and jazz training, the School instructs students in performance and composition and provides a broad-based education in music theory, history, and humanities. Students come from all over the world, drawn by a rigorous program that reflects the highest standards of musical heritage, and by the faculty, which includes some of the world’s best-known artists. Much of the school’s strength derives from its home in cosmopolitan New York City, and the School contributes to the city’s musical life through an active program of community outreach and with its own program of concerts and performances. These are regularly recognized nationally and internationally as some of the finest events in New York’s musical calendar. Manhattan School of Music’s alumni are active in every aspect of contemporary musical life, and many are among the most distinguished artists performing in concert halls, opera houses and on jazz stages throughout the world today.

Distance Learning

In 1996, under the pioneering influence of Maestro Pinchas Zukerman and President Marta Istomin, Manhattan School of Music instituted a groundbreaking distance learning program — the first of its kind at a major conservatory — devoted to exploring the use of state-of-the-art videoconference technology for music education and performance. Since its inception, the program has connected students, educators, and distinguished artists around the globe for teaching and learning exchanges and currently reaches over 1,700 students each year from Albuquerque to New Zealand.

Through the development and creative use of broadband videoconferencing and related instructional technologies, Manhattan School of Music Distance Learning provides access to artistic and academic resources that enhance students’ education in musical performance while heightening the global community’s awareness of and participation in the musical arts.

Specifically, the program provides interactive videoconference master classes, private lessons, clinics, workshops, coachings, sectionals, colloquia, educational and community outreach, telementoring, professional development, and humanities exchanges to institutions of higher education, K–12 schools, and performing and community organizations around the world. New program areas currently under development include remote auditioning and recruitment via videoconferencing.

K-12 Programs

With over a decade of experience in the field of distance learning and as the first conservatory in the nation to utilize videoconferencing for K-12 music education, Manhattan School of Music has adopted the key elements of presenting successful music education programs via videoconference. In addition to giving students access to world-class musicians and stimulating artistic perspectives, Manhattan School of Music ensures that the quality of videoconference transmissions are of the highest technical standards possible.

Through the Music Bridges and Virtual Music Studio programs, Manhattan School of Music offers a wide variety of standards-based music and music-related presentations to public and private schools throughout the country. The New York State Learning Standards for the Arts are incorporated in program design, content, and assessment, as well as links to core subjects such as social studies and history.

Music Bridges is a selection of music programs that feature distinguished Manhattan School of Music artist-faculty teaching elementary, middle, and high schools students. These interactive videoconference programs are designed to engage students in areas ranging from musical performance, to instrumental and vocal coachings, to developing an understanding of the building blocks of music.

Virtual Music Studio features a variety of videoconference programs developed and presented by a roster of distinguished Manhattan School of Music young artist alumni. These teaching artists -instrumentalists and vocalists who have attained a high level of professional proficiency at their musical craft - are up-and-coming educators who also serve as role models and mentors to students within the context of the dual learning process. Each program includes pre-videoconference teaching materials, one class period–length videoconference presentation, and a post-videoconference development guide.

All of the above programs are fully on-demand. Presentations are scheduled to accommodate the timetable of the requesting school, and can even be modified to better fit certain grade levels, age groups, curriculum needs, or requirements. Please read on for testimonials from past participants on how Manhattan School of Music’s interactive videoconference music education programs have benefited their students.

NOTE: If you reside in Australia or New Zealand and would like to receive MSM content via videoconference, please contact the ANU School of Music at schoolofmusicvc@anu.edu.au.