New England Conservatory of Music

The institute's large concert hall: The Jordan Hall

The New England Conservatory of Music ( NEC ) in Boston , Massachusetts is the oldest independent conservatory in the United States . It was founded in 1867 by the music teacher Eben Tourjee (1834-1891) and the composer and pianist Robert Goldbeck (1839-1908) from Potsdam , based on the model of European conservatories and now accepts 750 regular students annually. There are also hundreds more in the so-called “Preparatory School” and a “School of Continuing Education”. It was in downtown Boston until 1902; since then it has been in a building on Huntington Avenue near the Boston Symphony Hall .

description

The NEC is considered one of the most important American conservatories and is particularly well known for its world-class string classes. In addition, the main concert hall , the more than hundred-year-old Jordan Hall , is one of the most outstanding concert halls in the world. The well-known cellist Yo-Yo Ma said of him: " I love the Jordan Hall because of its incredible acoustics. Added to that is its warmth and intimacy. But especially the special atmosphere that can be felt there. " The concert hall is now home to more than 600 students Performances every academic year and is often used by external organizations, guest artists, etc.

When Henry Lee Higginson founded the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1881 , he largely recruited the section leaders from the conservatory. The orchestra and the conservatory are still closely interrelated to this day; about half of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is made up of faculty or conservatory graduates (the string section is considered the orchestra's greatest asset and particularly reflects the quality of the conservatory education in this regard). When Boston received its first full opera troupe in 1908, the NEC provided the manager, conductors, soloists, orchestra, choir, library, and performance venues. After its end, the “Boris Goldovsky's Opera Theater” used the possibilities of the NEC for over a decade. In 1958 Sarah Caldwell founded the Opera Company of Boston .

The NEC is a co-founder and partner of “From the Top”, a weekly radio show dedicated to outstanding young classical musicians from across the country. From Jordan Hall, the program is broadcast on National Public Radio and can be heard on 250 stations across the United States.

The NEC was entered on the National Register of Historic Places on May 14, 1980 under number 80000672 . It has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark since April 19, 1994 .

The official mascot of the New England Conservatory is a fighting penguin.

Well-known alumni of the NEC

Ted Akatz , drummer Herbert Blomstedt , conductor Sarah Caldwell , conductor Sean Callery , composer Colin Carr , cellist Regina Carter , violinist Young-Chang Cho , cellist and university professor Frederick Shepherd Converse , composer Phyllis Curtin , soprano Richard Danielpour , composer Roberto Diaz , violist, a. a. President of the Curtis Institute Marty Ehrlich , saxophonist Frank Epstein , drummer Stephen Ferrera , music producer Avram Fefer (jazz saxophonist) Everett Firth , drummer Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy David Franco , music producer Michael Gandolfi , composer Denyce Graves , mezzo-soprano

Fred Hersch , jazz pianist Adolph Herseth , trumpeter Alan Hovhaness , composer Stefan Jackiw , violinist Louis Krasner , violinist Max Levinson , pianist John Medeski , jazz pianist Christopher O'Riley , pianist Felice Pomeranz , harpist Corretta Scott King , voice Marylou Speaker-Churchill , violinist Eleanor Steber , soprano William Grant Still , composer Lara St. John , violinist Cecil Taylor , pianist Bernie Worrell , pianist and rock musician Rachel Z , jazz musician Biava String Quartet , chamber music ensemble Jupiter String Quartet , chamber music ensemble Zitkala-Ša , violinist

Well-known teachers at the NEC

Jeanne Baxtresser Ran Blake Natasha Brofsky Bob Brookmeyer James Buswell Wha-Kyung Byun George Chadwick Vinson Cole Dominique Eade John Ferrillo Eliot Fisk Miriam Fried Michael Gandolfi Alexander Goehr Billy Hart Lee Hyla Kim Kashkashian Eyran Katsenelen Arch Paul Katz

Laurence Lesser Ann Hobson pilot Quincy Porter Paula Robison Carol Rodland George Russell Charlie Schlueter Gunther Schuller Russell Sherman Joseph Silverstein Lucy Stoltzman Richard Stoltzman Donald Weilerstein Lawrence Wolfe Felix Wolfes Hugh Wolff Charles Wuorinen Edward Zambara Benjamin Zander

See also

• List of National Historic Landmarks in Boston

literature

• John W. Bond: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. (PDF) United States Department of the Interior , National Park Service , December 17, 1993, accessed November 25, 2016 . 

Web links

• New England Conservatory of Music Official Website of the NEC (English)
• New England Conservatory Festival Orchestra (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: Massachusetts. National Park Service , accessed August 11, 2019.

Coordinates: 42 ° 20 '26 "  N , 71 ° 5' 13"  W.