Ok, after all these years I finally MUST review my beloved alma mater. I can't believe I've waited so long! This experience totally changed my life for the better. Permanently. I can't truly describe what this high education meant to me at the time and even now. We're talking about the nineties, in which I graduated with a masters of music degree from this prestigious internationally recognized institution along with some of the best international talent in the classical music world! I mean to name just one, the renowned mezzo Denyce Graves was a colleague! Attending NEC is easily one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. I ended up here, as opposed to Juilliard, Eastman, or another top conservatory because I did my homework! I am a true coloratura soprano and I heard some of the best professional coloraturas in the business and inquired who their instructors had been. The same names kept popping up. Among them was the illustrious Helen Hodam, so I wrote her a letter of introduction and headed from Miami to Boston for the dreaded audition. Best possible news-She accepted me as a student and was able to help get me some scholarship funding. I still can't believe how lucky I am to achieve my dream. The things I learned and the experience I was exposed to can't be measured. I've sung professionally ever since and the technique lasts forever. Also, the closest friendships with even my talented BFF last to this day. Miss Hodam has sadly passed on, but the tradition continues on. I couldn't be prouder to hail from the great oldest free standing conservatory in the US. Thank you, NEC. May you stand throughout the next millennium! read more

NEC Prep New England Conservatory Prep - My debut with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra -two concerts holiday season 2011. Thanks, NEC & Helen Hodam. - Performing Arts Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Back in the day, we were in Boston almost every weekend seeing my sister in law who was a student here. I've sat through a few student performances and saw others on the Green T line. It was and still is one of the favorite places for students to practice and pick up some extra cash. LOL I undestand, Government Center was one of the most profitable. Since then, depending on what city we lived in, we have always found some alum. Many were church organists, but some were voice majors who were paid section leaders and fill-ins on Sundays with the choral. It makes you appreciate how successful graduates of NE Conservatory become in life. Nice! read more

NEC Prep New England Conservatory Prep - NECM - Performing Arts Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I saw the string ensemble at Jordon Hall and agree with Katherine T - my big complaint is about those seats!!!! They tilt way off to the side so you're forced to lean on the person to the left (or right if you're on the opposite side of the hall). Your back hurts, your side goes numb, it is highly unpleasant. The hall itself is beautiful and the music was lovely. Aside from the seat I had a very enjoyable time. *Edited to add that I was sitting on the balcony to the side. I hope if you're in the center your seat won't tilt. read more

Saw a concert here the other night and it was great! The New England String Ensemble... very nice show. The staff were friendly, the sound was great (even in the nosebleed seats), but I have one beef with this theater. The sections on the side are tilted downward towards the stage. Though the seats themselves are level, both myself and my friend managed to get sore backs from the seating... very strange. read more

http://necmusic.edu/first-monday If you have never heard of First Mondays at Jordan Hall, do your self a favor and go to one. I am firmly of the mind that Boston is filled with great artistic venues. Students, faculty, and amateur performers regularly rehearse, train, and perform their craft all over town, and often for free. First Mondays at NECM are exactly that. If you enjoy classical music even just a little bit, come hear the next generation of professional musicians while they are still right at your door step. Student orchestras, faculty, and visiting musicians regularly perform solos, and symphonies for free in glorious Jordan Hall every month. There is not much to complain about here. The seats are reasonably comfortable, although there is not much room to extend your legs unless you get into a row near a break in the seating chart. However that is practically guaranteed; there are always plenty of available seats, because who attends classical concerts for fun these days? You do! That is who. Their loss is your gain. Now get out there, and get your self some culture. read more

I have been to a few concerts at Jordan Hall and have enjoyed each one. It's a beautiful space with a posh atmosphere and great acoustics. The seats on the side of what is usually the orchestra section is tilted downward toward the stage, but no matter where you sit the sound is fantastic. What's best is that they offer free or cheap concerts by talented students and groups all the time. Get your classical music fix for much less than what you pay further up the street and catch a young, rising star. read more

NEC Prep New England Conservatory Prep - Concert with Measha B - Performing Arts Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

You can catch great performances at Jordan Hall, a really beautiful intimate space, by top name professional groups all the time. However, take advantage of the student performances, from the grad level even down to the prep level. The NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra is probably the best youth orchestra in the country (and they sound legitimately good), and these days NEC's string department is thought by many to be better than even more-famous Juilliard. So for all the poor people out there - definitely a good way to hear cheap (and often free) classical music. If you are a student there on the other hand, my friends have shown me around, and well it's not posh, aside from Jordan Hall. But that's a different review. read more

NECM is a phenomenal school and hearing 14 year old Victor Li play piano moves any place to 5 stars.

This is a nice venue for a concert and is easily accessible via public transportation and walking. For drivers, there are a number of parking garages in the area. Street parking is limited. The interior is nice, with every seat seeming to be a good seat (the theatre is small, so no seat was too far from the stage). The stage has an pipe organ, which was neat--there were also gilt details throughout and around the stage (only thing missing were crystal chandeliers!). Acoustically, the theatre is good. The seats are on a steep incline on the orchestra level. There is also a mezzanine/balcony. I was afraid that there would not be air conditioning, being that it is an older building. The theatre never got to warm, which was nice as this evening was a bit humid and warm. read more

Each month... on the first Monday, they have free performances in Jordan Hall. This isn't typically my cup of tea but thought I'd go listen. The musicians were phenomenal, the location is convenient and the building was beautiful. Will definitely go again! read more

Love this school and Jordan Hall is fantastic. I go to NEC and the hall is one of the best I have ever played in. Amazing school and facutly. read more

NEC is a great school and they have some really great shows & recitals that you can go to for free. Even the ticketed events are not too expensive. Jordan Hall is the most famous but they have several other great performance halls within the group of buildings. My wife has been doing her masters in vocal performance over the past two years, that's why we moved up here. The faculty are some of the best in the world when it comes to music. All in all we have really enjoyed NEC and what they offer. read more

Alternative to the pricey Symphony Hall. Jordan Hall has Great Acoustics for classical ensembles. great for classical music fans.

I've seen a few concerts at Jordan Hall (notably Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring) and I thought each performance was incredible - especially considering that these are free concerts. I haven't had any trouble with the seats but I haven't had to sit off to the side either. Just make sure to get there somewhat early on some of the more popular shows if you want a particular seat. read more

The premier musical institution in Boston and easily one of the top music schools in the United States. The New England Conservatory is now more than ever a place for cutting edge ideas and unmatched performance opportunities. The faculty are often leaders in their respective fields and are genuinely interested in giving students the best education available. I see only good things coming from NEC in the future! read more

One of THE conservatories in the world, and arguably the best in the world for jazz composition, viola, and more--the students win over 30 International and National competitions and awards every year. (see RolandDavis.com for award-winning audio examples!). NEC hosts over 300 concerts a year and Jordan Hall is a world-renowned concert hall (that's me conducting in JordanHall on first page of website :) read more

one the nation's premiere conservatories, nec boasts performances year round by fantastic artists, provides lessons available from some of music's finest teachers, and of course has the lovely jordan hall--a much more affordable alternative to symphony hall. i used to catch the metamorphosen chamber orchestra here annually and never left unimpressed! read more

As someone who graduated from this conservatory, my advice to you, especially if you are a musician who thinking about go there, DO NOT go to this school. This school has the darkest inside political job I have ever seen in my life, they don't care about students and definitely don't treat students well. Few years ago when I thought about apply NEC, there was a famous professor warned me about this and suggested me not go, I didn't listen, and I couldn't regret more now..... not just wasted of my time but also disgusted by what I have seen... read more

This review is for the Music Referral Service (MRS) provided by the New England Conservatory. For our recent wedding in Boston, we decided to hire an NEC student violinist. We put in the online request 6 and 1/2 weeks before the wedding and received a prompt response from the MRS team. Within 2 weeks we were in contact with a violinist. The violinist was very responsive and gave us suggestions for pieces he knew that matched our ideas for song choices. We didn't want to go with the traditional ceremony music, and it was really nice that he gave us plenty of options. He even recorded a few of his pieces so we would get an idea of his pacing and style. He played 4 different pieces during the hour he was at our ceremony (prelude, processional, bride's entrance, recessional), and everything was perfect! The rate of $125/hour is extremely reasonable, especially when it makes the ceremony so much more memorable. The violinist was very professional and I highly recommend them for your special event! read more