ABOUT NEC

An incubator for musical excellence and a hub of disciplined artistic exploration since 1867.

About NEC

An incubator for musical excellence and a hub of disciplined artistic exploration since 1867.

Our Mission

New England Conservatory educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, drawing on our distinguished faculty’s deep reservoir of talent, as well as our creative community and educational partnerships.

We are devoted to inculcating the highest standards of artistic excellence and nurturing individual artistic sensibility and creative growth. Understanding that music is one of the transcendent expressions of human civilization, NEC is committed to advancing music’s contribution to contemporary society.

NEC Enrollment at a Glance

1,400

Preparatory School students

750

College students from 46 states and 39 countries

325

adult education students

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ABOUT NEC

Degree Programs

The NEC Experience

Life After NEC

Ours is beautiful, purposeful, relevant work. It matters that we do it at the highest level, and I pledge my own commitment to making sure that we do.”

Nec president andrea kalyn

Leadership

our history

In 1867, Eben Tourjée founded the New England Conservatory, forever changing the trajectory of music education in the United States to reflect the best of American and European traditions.

NEC’s Black Student Union in their annual Continuation of a Dream concert in Brown Hall, 2019.
Jordan Hall at 290 Huntington Avenue opened in 1903.
NEC graduating Class of 1906 on the steps of Jordan Hall with Florence Price, right side, second row from the bottom.
NEC Director George W. Chadwick led the Conservatory orchestra that he founded in Jordan Hall, ca. 1915.
French composer, conductor Nadia Boulanger led a group of NEC students, Jordan Hall, 1938.
The NEC Preparatory School co-founded by Frances Lanier (pictured) and Virginia Bacon, 1950.
Boris Goldovsky, NEC’s opera program director from the 1940s to the mid-1960s, with his opera class, 1952.
New dormitory and Spaulding Library opened at 33 Gainsborough Street, 1960.
The NEC Chorus at a recording session with Aaron Copland in NYC, 1965.
Coretta Scott King ’54 and family, pictured with NEC President Gunther Schuller, received an honorary degree, 1971.
Denyce Graves performed with the NEC Symphony at the Jordan Hall Restoration Celebration, 1995.
Gunther Schuller with Ken Schaphorst rehearsing the NEC Jazz Orchestra in Jordan Hall, 2010.
NEC’s Black Student Union in their annual Continuation of a Dream concert in Brown Hall, 2019.
Jordan Hall at 290 Huntington Avenue opened in 1903.

NEC Archives

EXPLORE OUR VENUES

An Enduring Legacy

For more than 150 years, NEC has been at the center of Boston’s rich cultural history, gaining a reputation as an international destination for rising musical talent.

The stage at the acoustically superb Jordan Hall has been graced by some of the world’s greatest classical, jazz, and contemporary artists. While NEC’s most celebrated venue holds a place of significance to those who perform there, in 1994, New England Conservatory and Jordan Hall received an additional distinction when they were jointly granted National Historic Landmark status.

Explore Our Venues

Cultural Equity and Belonging

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

New England Conservatory is committed to providing a safe environment for learning, working, and performing where all members of the community are valued and respected and can reach their personal and artistic potential.

Recognizing that a vital and diverse community is built on the respect of individuals, NEC fosters an atmosphere of intellectual and artistic freedom, and encourages the open exchange of ideas and creative initiatives.

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