Mannes is a unique place, one where you will receive intense technical training on your instrument from a faculty of renowned and revolutionary performers, who will also help you find your place in the landscape of contemporary music found in New York City.
Our guitar faculty includes a preeminent collection of musicians. Frederic Hand and Michael Newman, both graduates of Mannes, co-lead the Classical Guitar department, each are legends in their own right. Hand and Newman are joined each semester by guests artists from all over the world who lead students in Master Classes. Recent artists include Oscar Ghiglia, Roland Dyens, Benjamin Verdure, Eliot Fisk, and Scott Tennant and William Kanengiser, members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. These masters are currently joined by our Resident Artists, Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo.
With New York City as your classroom, you'll find ways to jump-start your career from the moment you set foot on campus. Play at landmark venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Collaborate in cutting-edge performances as a part of our many ensembles, including Mannes American Composers Ensemble, the College of Performing Arts Theater Orchestra, and the New School Studio Orchestra. Gain the skills needed to start your own label, manage your own publicity, and create your own groundbreaking work. Take part in a culture of performance with programs like Guitar Studio, which has a concert at the end of every semester for student soloists along with one presented by Guitar Ensemble.
While studying alongside star faculty, learn to engage with the world through music. In our Bachelor of Music program, combine rigorous conservatory training with a range of complementary studies. Mannes's entrepreneurship courses give you the tools to make your own opportunities as an artist. With liberal arts electives at Lang and design electives at Parsons, learn how to make an impact through your art in new ways on a rapidly changing world.
As a graduate student in our Master of Music program, you'll take part in an elite two-year program focused on advancing all aspects of your musical study and performance skills. The broad range of performance opportunities prepares you for any career you can imagine as a professional artist.