Performer-Composer (MM)
Performer-Composer MM Spotlight Series
MM Performer-Composer students present their work in online space.
College of Performing Arts
Office of Admission
72 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
performingarts@newschool.edu
212.229.5150 or 800.292.3040
Develop your talent in a unique learning environment with world-class faculty. New York City is at the crossroads of American music, and the faculty who teach at Mannes are active participants in the development of the future of music. At Mannes, you will find a mentor who will not only help you develop the advanced technique necessary to compete in any setting but will also nurture your creative self to help you chart your own path as a 21st-century artist.
At Mannes, the study of music theory has long been considered essential to our students’ development as musicians and musical thinkers. Music theory is taught by the faculty of the Techniques of Music Department (TOM), which also encompasses musicianship. Students in all BM programs at Mannes receive comprehensive multi-year training in theory and ear training. Students pursuing the MM degree or Professional Studies Diploma (PDPL) take courses to solidify their understanding of theory and to acquire the analytical skills needed for more advanced study.
TOM faculty members teach an array of graduate seminars that are available to all majors. Among the theory seminars regularly offered are Analysis, Music of Stravinsky, Techniques of the Modern Era, The Ring Cycle, Expectation and Expression in Music, and Pedagogy. Mannes was the first American institution to teach Schenkerian analysis, a tradition that we continue to carry forward.
In addition to completing graduate coursework open to all MM students, graduate Theory majors receive four semesters of private theory lessons with members of Mannes’ distinguished Theory faculty. These lessons cultivate curiosity and critical thinking as they develop analytical, research, and writing skills. MM students in other majors can apply to add the Theory major as one part of a double major. Many of Mannes’ MM students have gone on to highly respected PhD programs in music theory, including those at the CUNY Graduate Center, the University of Michigan, and Florida State University.
The BM in Theory is a four-year program that provides rigorous training in theory and theory-related study. In addition, the program includes two years of private lessons in piano and two years of theory lessons. To enrich the study of music theory and related fields for the entire Mannes community, the TOM Department organizes extra-curricular events, including the Techniques of Music Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series, faculty and alumni paper readings, and presentations by Mannes’ Visiting Scholar. If you have questions about studying theory at Mannes, please contact Professor Robert Cuckson at cucksonr@newschool.edu.
Perform at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, apprentice with members of the Orchestra of St. Luke's, join the Martha Graham Dance Company in riveting productions, and take the stage with The Mannes Opera. Experience firsthand what it's like to be a working musician in one of the most vibrant music scenes in the world.
Don't just learn how to play your instrument; learn how to perform. Develop your artistry alongside peers from the College of Performing Arts, Parsons, and across The New School by creating multidisciplinary projects with theater directors, designers, and media students. Record an album with jazz students. Make new work with actors, writers, and directors. You'll never run out of opportunities to grow and showcase your talent in new and original ways.
Today's artists are makers and doers. Performers are composers, composers are improvisers, musicians are changemakers. At Mannes, you can develop your artistry through a curriculum that goes far beyond that of the traditional conservatory. In courses like The Stone Workshops, Improv Artists Lab, and The Digital Revolution, you'll have the opportunity to play alongside boundary-breaking artists and award-winning faculty members. Take courses that will challenge you to make music in new and inspired ways.
MM Performer-Composer students present their work in online space.
Composer and Mannes School of Music faculty member Ruo Huang eflects on the meditative qualities of music.
Arts Management and Entrepreneurship student tells the story of her country through music and collaboration.
The New School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
