Mannes School of Music is a conservatory within The New School in New York City, founded in 1916 by violinist David Mannes (concertmaster of the New York Symphony Orchestra) and his wife Clara Damrosch Mannes. Now part of the College of Performing Arts alongside the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and the School of Drama, Mannes offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in classical performance, composition, and conducting. The school is known for its Techniques of Music program, which built its reputation as the American home of Schenkerian theory. Mannes enrolls approximately 1,450 students across the College of Performing Arts (including Mannes Prep).
Programs and Degrees
Mannes offers the following degree programs:
Undergraduate:
- Bachelor of Music (BM): Four-year degree in performance (orchestral instruments, piano, voice, guitar), composition, or conducting. The curriculum centers on private lessons, ensemble experiences, master classes, and the Techniques of Music program (theory and aural skills).
- Bachelor's-Master's Program: Undergraduate students can combine their BM with an MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship, graduating with both degrees in five years.
Graduate:
- Master of Music (MM): Tuition of $29,363 per semester (2026-27) for programs in performance, composition, and conducting.
- Professional Studies Diploma: Tuition of $20,813 per semester (2026-27). A post-master's program for advanced performers.
- MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship: For students interested in the business side of music.
Mannes has expanded its curriculum in the 2020s to include courses in music technology, improvisation ensemble, teaching artistry, arts journalism, film music composition, and creative entrepreneurship. The school offers an ESL+Music program for international students who need to improve their English language skills before beginning degree programs.
As part of the College of Performing Arts, Mannes students can take courses at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and the School of Drama, enabling cross-disciplinary collaboration. The school also offers Mannes Prep for students ages 4 through 18.
Admissions and Tuition
Undergraduate applicants apply through the Common Application. Graduate applicants apply through the New School Online Application. All applicants must submit prescreening materials and attend a live audition.
Tuition for the 2026-27 academic year:
Undergraduate (College of Performing Arts):
- Full-time tuition: $31,174 per semester ($62,348 per year)
- Full-time credit range: 12 to 18 credits
- Per-credit tuition: $2,598
Graduate (Mannes School of Music):
- MM full-time tuition: $29,363 per semester ($58,726 per year)
- Professional Studies Diploma: $20,813 per semester ($41,626 per year)
More than 85 percent of students receive institutional aid from The New School. In the 2024-25 academic year, the university distributed over $151 million in institutional aid. Students can also receive federal and external grants, scholarships, and federal work-study.
Real-World Example
A pianist accepted into the BM program for fall 2026 faces $62,348 in annual tuition. If the student receives a New School scholarship covering 40 percent of tuition ($24,939), net tuition drops to $37,409 per year. Over four years, the student pays approximately $149,636 in tuition. Living expenses in New York City add approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per year. The student studies with faculty from Mannes' piano department, performs at venues throughout NYC, and can cross-register for courses at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music. The student also has access to internships with major arts organizations across the city.
Notable alumni include songwriter Burt Bacharach, pianists Richard Goode and Murray Perahia, jazz pianist Bill Evans, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, conductor Semyon Bychkov, conductor JoAnn Falletta, and Pulitzer Prize-winning arts journalist Tim Page.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
Mannes is the right choice if you want classical conservatory training in New York City with the option to explore jazz, drama, and arts management. The College of Performing Arts structure lets you take courses across three schools, which is unusual for a traditional conservatory. The Techniques of Music program remains one of the strongest theory programs in the country, rooted in the Schenkerian tradition established by Hans Weisse and Felix Salzer in the 1930s.
The NYC location is a major advantage. You have access to Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, Broadway, and hundreds of performance venues. The school's internship program connects students with major arts organizations across the city.
The cost is significant. At $62,348 per year for undergraduates, Mannes is expensive, though the 85 percent aid rate means most students pay less than sticker price. NYC living costs add substantially to the total. You will need to budget carefully or secure strong scholarship support.
Mannes has a smaller profile than Juilliard or Manhattan School of Music, but its cross-disciplinary approach and NYC location make it a strong option for musicians who want to build skills beyond pure performance. The expanded curriculum in music technology, improvisation, and creative entrepreneurship reflects a deliberate shift toward preparing graduates for the modern music industry, not just traditional orchestra and opera careers.
Visit the official Mannes website for full audition requirements and program details.
Potential Drawbacks
- High cost: $62,348 per year in tuition, plus NYC living expenses that can exceed $25,000 annually.
- Smaller profile: Less name recognition than Juilliard or Manhattan School of Music, which can matter in audition settings.
- Shared resources: Being part of the College of Performing Arts means sharing facilities and faculty attention across three schools.
- Limited campus: Mannes is housed in Arnhold Hall in the West Village. Facilities are adequate but not as expansive as standalone conservatory campuses.
Video Tour and Alumni Performances
Notable Alumni in Performance
Mannes graduates have shaped popular music, jazz, and classical performance for decades. Below are some of the school's most recognized alumni, with performance clips where available.
Burt Bacharach studied composition at Mannes under Henry Cowell and Darius Milhaud. With lyricist Hal David, he wrote some of the most recognizable songs of the 1960s, including "What the World Needs Now Is Love," "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," and "Alfie." He received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. In this 2020 Tiny Desk (Home) Concert, Bacharach performs with songwriter Daniel Tashian.
Bill Evans studied at Mannes and became one of the most influential jazz pianists of the 20th century. His work on Miles Davis's Kind of Blue and his trio recordings at the Village Vanguard set a standard for jazz piano that continues to influence musicians today. "Peace Piece," from his 1959 album Everybody Digs Bill Evans, remains one of his most performed and admired solo piano pieces.
Murray Perahia (BS Music '69) won the Leeds International Piano Competition after studying at Mannes and went on to become one of the most sought-after pianists of his generation. He has performed with leading orchestras worldwide, served as principal guest conductor of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and was awarded an honorary KBE in 2004. Here he performs Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ("Appassionata").
Other notable Mannes alumni include conductor Semyon Bychkov, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, conductor JoAnn Falletta, Pulitzer Prize-winning arts journalist Tim Page, and composer Shulamit Ran.
Audition Requirements
Mannes requires prescreening materials for piano, voice, and composition applicants. Other programs (orchestral instruments, guitar, conducting) may not require prescreening but do require a live audition or video audition.
Piano prescreening requires video recordings of:
- A prelude and fugue from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier or two contrasting movements from a keyboard suite
- A sonata by Mozart or Beethoven (excluding Op. 49 and 79)
- A large-scale 19th-century solo piece (not a concerto)
All pieces must be performed from memory. Applicants who pass prescreening are invited to a final audition, which adds a 20th- or 21st-century solo piece to the repertoire.
Composition prescreening requires a portfolio of three recent scores (preferably from the last two years) with corresponding sound files. Live performance recordings are preferred over MIDI files.
Conducting prescreening requires three to four videos of the candidate conducting an orchestra or large ensemble, showing contrasting tempi and stylistic variety. Videos must have been recorded within the last 24 months.
Application deadlines:
- Undergraduate: Apply through the Common Application. Prescreen materials due by the application deadline.
- Graduate: Application deadline December 1. Prescreen materials due December 1. Final audition recordings due February 1.
Live auditions are held on campus in New York City for fall entry only. Applicants who cannot travel to NYC may submit video auditions, which are evaluated with the same criteria as live auditions.
Related Resources
- Music Schools Directory - Compare Mannes with other music schools
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project streaming revenue while studying
- Publishing Royalty Split Calculator - Calculate splits for co-writing sessions
- How to Network in the Music Industry - Networking strategies for NYC-based musicians
