Welcome
You're a brass player and you're curious about music school. We'd like to take a moment to introduce ourselves and try to answer some questions you may have about what goes on at NEC- and why it might relate to a path you are considering.
NEC, located in the heart of Boston, has been educating and training musicians of all ages from around the world since 1867. Originally a school dedicated to training in the Western classical tradition, NEC evolved over time to include high-level programs in jazz and Contemporary Improvisation that complement our world-renowned classical departments. The diversity of styles provides an opportunity to hear and explore a truly wide range of music—and makes for a very interesting student body!
Brass players studying at NEC have the opportunity to work with one of the world’s most distinguished music faculties. Our brass faculty members represent a broad range of professional experience, as soloists, chamber musicians, and as orchestra players for the world-renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra, including four BSO principals.
The core of brass studies is private weekly studio instruction. Studio work is enhanced by classes in repertoire, music theory, and music history, and put into practice with performance opportunities in studio class, recitals, chamber music, wind ensemble, and orchestra. We aim to prepare students for professional careers, so our musical training is accompanied by courses, workshops, grants, internships, career advice and other professional development resources offered by our Entrepreneurial Musicianship department.
Applying to college or university can be confusing and overwhelming, and sometimes the process for applying to music school can sometimes seem particularly mysterious and complicated. We encourage you to explore our website for more information about how to apply and audition to NEC, and we hope that you’ll feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions. Our Office of Admission can be reached at admission@necmusic.edu or 617-585-1101. In addition, we’ll be visiting a number of college fairs around the country this fall to answer questions and talk to students and parents in person. To find out see if we're coming to a location near you near where you live, click here. We encourage you to come see NEC first-hand if you’re able, so please write or call if you’d like our help in planning a visit.
To see more photos of our beautiful city, please see our other Flickr gallery here.
Student profiles
if you're curious about what life is like as a student at NEC, please read about trumpet player Samantha Mason and see what a day in the life of french horn player Lauren Hunt is like.
Did you know?
- Half of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's players are NEC alumni and/or teach at NEC..
- NEC's college students represent 47 states and 33 foreign countries.
- NEC alumni perform in every major U.S. orchestra.
- William David Brohn ’58 won the 1998 Tony Award for Best Orchestration for the musical Ragtime. He has since orchestrated Wicked and Mary Poppins.
Here are some frequently asked questions.
Q: How many students are at NEC, and how many are graduates vs. undergraduates?
A: About 750 collegiate students attend NEC. They are split almost evenly between undergraduate and graduate students.
Q: What is the difference between a conservatory and a regular college or university?
A: Conservatories are small schools that offer programs addressing a very specific area of study--in our case, music--with an intensely focused curriculum. Although undergraduate students have liberal arts requirements in most music conservatories, the rest of the coursework and graduation requirements are centered on music. Conservatories are most appropriate for students who are quite focused on performance or composition as a career. Colleges and universities, on the other hand, offer a much broader range of programs and majors and may require additional general education courses as part of their curriculum.
Q: What degrees do you offer?
A: NEC offers the Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. In addition, NEC offers Undergraduate, Graduate, and Artist diplomas.
Q: Is an audition required for admission?
A: Yes, for all majors, except composition, music theory and musicology. For audition requirements and repertoire, please visit Audition Information.
Q: Is Financial Aid available?
A: Yes. NEC awards state and federal funding as well as its own institutional funds to full-time, eligible students.
If you have more questions or would like additional information about applying to NEC, please contact us at admission@necmusic.edu or 617-585-1101. We’d love to hear from you! Best wishes in your search for a school that will be just the right fit for you.
SARAH VAUGHAN