Programs

Each year, Orchestral Performance students have the opportunity to perform for extraordinary orchestral musicians in master classes on the Art of Orchestral Performance presented by members of international and American orchestras visiting New York City. Recent guest artists included musicians from the Chicago Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Program graduates have accepted positions with the following philharmonics, orchestras, and symphonies worldwide:

New York Philharmonic
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Orlando Philharmonic
Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra
Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
New World Symphony Orchestra
Charleston Symphony Orchestra
Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
Louisiana Symphony Orchestra
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Des Moines Symphony Orchestra
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Phoenix Symphony Orchestra
Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra
San Antonio Symphony Orchestra
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra
Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig (Germany)
SWR Radio Symphony in Stuttgart (Germany)
Seville Orchestra (Spain)
Orchestra of the Palau de les Arts “Reina Sofía” in Valencia (Spain)
Stockholm Philharmonic (Scandinavia)
Royal Danish Opera Orchestra (Scandinavia)
KZN Philharmonic (South Africa)
New Japan Philharmonic (Asia)
Hong Kong Philharmonics (Asia)
Auckland Symphony (New Zealand)
Western Australian Symphony (Australia)
Symphony Orchestra of Monterey (Mexico)
Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México (Mexico)

One of the most essential elements of training for orchestral musicians is the art of taking auditions. Orchestral Performance majors have the opportunity to perform in regularly scheduled mock auditions during the academic year, paralleling preliminary, semifinal, and final orchestra audition standards and practices and adjudicated by program faculty and other musicians from major New York City orchestras and performing ensembles.

The Orchestral Repertoire Coaching course, taught by program faculty and guests, is a four-semester, two-year sequence of coaching sessions, on the craft of orchestral performance techniques. This course offers intensive and focused study of and performance experience in diverse styles and periods of the orchestral repertoire. Three formats and different environments for learning are used for coaching: weekly instrumental sessions taught by program faculty (lessons); monthly instrumental sectionals conducted by program faculty and guest artists; and quarterly wind/brass/percussion readings conducted by both staff and guest conductors.

Attendance is required for repertoire classes, master classes and mock auditions.  Each obligation is worth 20% of the grade.

• Repertoire classes: Strings, winds and low brass will have six repertoire classes each semester, and horns and trumpets will have eight.  In addition, violins will have six studio classes
• Repertoire readings: Two wind/brass/percussion readings will take place each semester
• Master Classes: Two master classes per year
• Mock auditions: First-year Master’s students will have three mock auditions.  Second-year Master’s, professional students and postgraduate students will have four mock auditions per year
• Special Performances: Participate in all scheduled off-campus performances.

Preparation and training as teaching artists in Manhattan School of Music’s nationally recognized educational outreach program is offered in this required course. It has been designed to develop skills and offer experience as a teaching artist in elementary and middle school arts education programs.

Students are exposed to a variety of pedagogical methods and materials during the process of writing and delivering classroom introductions and educational concerts in New York City schools, as part of Manhattan School of Music ’s educational outreach program, Music Teaches.

As a result of their experience, several alumni have been hired as teaching artists and demonstrators within the New York Philharmonic’s Education Partnership Program. Orchestral majors are encouraged to participate in Manhattan School of Music’s multifaceted outreach program, Music in Action by giving concerts in senior citizen homes, hospitals, diverse venues, and schools.