Giving Initiatives

How can you make an impact at NEC with a philanthropic gift in support of a specific program or project?  

To learn more about any of the following giving initiatives, please contact Tricia Cheverie at tricia.cheverie@necmusic.edu. 

Examples of Giving Initiatives you may support at NEC:

Scholarships

NEC is committed to removing the financial barriers that might preclude any young musician from attending. Over 90% of NEC students receive financial and merit-based scholarships, enabling young students from all backgrounds to receive their education free from financial worries.

By supporting scholarships at NEC, you enable musicians from around the world to pursue a transformative education that will unlock their artistic creativity and prepare them for a musical journey without limits. Gifts to the NEC Fund, the Annual Scholarship Gala, or endowed scholarships are all ways to impact this core priority at NEC. Opportunities to establish new, named scholarship funds begin at $50,000 at NEC Prep and $100,000 in the College.

Faculty

For more than 150 years, the New England Conservatory faculty has included some of the most prestigious names in music. They have earned many of the greatest distinctions in artistry—MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, hundreds of awards at international competitions, industry recognition at the highest level—and they comprise approximately half the musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The members of the NEC faculty represent the epitome of their craft, attracting the best young talent.

Our faculty are the heart of NEC, and it is essential that we champion them as they build rewarding careers as teachers and musicians. Gifts to support faculty innovation and excellence, endowed department chairs, and resources for faculty studios are just a few ways you can invest in the growth and development of NEC’s faculty.

The Integrative Curriculum

The NEC Integrative Curriculum introduces courses that teach multiple skills across disciplines in a variety of formats, drawing together the many strands of a conservatory education in new and dynamic ways. Music history, analysis, entrepreneurship, composition, performance—all are essential to the 21st-century musician.

In this interconnected, applied-learning model, NEC will support and nurture each student’s artistic voice and professional development, equipping them with a comprehensive range of core musical and management skills:

• collaborative ensemble work
• music technology and production
• leadership and entrepreneurship
• community engagement
• creative problem solving

Investing in this learning model requires investing in innovative approaches to teaching – and in the faculty who will teach in this new model. Opportunities to advance the integrative curriculum include establishing faculty innovation funds, as well as funds to design bold new programming that will support the future of teaching and learning at NEC. 

Residencies and Masterclasses

Endowed masterclasses, residencies, and artist-in-residence programs accelerate learning for NEC students by helping them develop creative capabilities and professional confidence. These opportunities foster an environment of inspiration by providing the space for artistic exploration and experimentation with outstanding artists and scholars from outside New England Conservatory.

Residencies and masterclasses can be established in both the College and NEC Prep, with gift minimums beginning at $50,000. 

NEC Prep

NEC Prep is a leader in music education in New England and one of the largest programs of its kind in the nation. Every week, approximately 1300 students of all ages - from early beginners to the most advanced young musicians - come to campus to participate in lessons, classes, and ensembles with NEC Prep’s world-class faculty. 

Ensuring that our students, and the faculty who inspire them, have the resources they need to be successful is critical to realizing NEC’s mission of advancing music education. Gifts to scholarships, faculty support, and instrument funds are just a few ways to support core initiatives at NEC Prep. Gifts to the NEC Fund, restricted, current-use priorities, and the endowment all support critical elements of Prep’s operations. New endowment opportunities in Prep begin at $50,00.