Text: Celebrating the Class of 2020, over a composite images of about 30 musicians playing music together via individual video.
Honoring 2020 Commencement Award Winners
As 2020 draws to a close, we honor the achievements of our 2020 Commencement award winners, who are commended for their excellence in leadership, academics, musicianship, innovation, and more.
Patricia Racette
Low Latency for Singers: Master Classes and Real-Time Collaboration
Low latency technology has made way for robust vocal arts study at NEC this semester, and offered a few silver linings, like master classes at a distance with Patricia Racette and John Relyea.
Close up of NEC's Beethoven statue, showing Beethoven's hand holding the score for the "Ode to Joy."
The Boston Globe | When Boston’s music scene was built on Beethoven
In honor of Beethoven's 250th birthday, The Boston Globe's Jeremy Eichler gives a history of Boston's relationship with the composer, through the lens of NEC's storied Beethoven statue.
Concertmaster Isabelle Ai Durrenberger
Live Concerts Amidst COVID-19: Philharmonia Returns to Jordan Hall
While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted concerts, NEC has made tremendous efforts to ensure the health and safety of its students, staff, and faculty members, and live performances persisted this semester. This fall, the NEC Philharmonia gave four live-streamed performances, led by conductors Hugh Wolff, Lina González-Granados, and Christopher Wilkins.
Brian Mackintosh
Alumni Spotlight: Brian Mackintosh ’02
Brian Mackintosh ’02 shares invaluable memories of his time at NEC and how his music education influences his financial work as Chief Actuary at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.  
Jordan Hall Exterior Zoom Background
NEC Announces Extensive Master Class Series
This fall semester, the post-Thanksgiving period brings an opportunity for academic enrichment through a wide-ranging series of master classes, offered online and available to all students, whether on-campus or remote.
Yi Mei videos herself in the mirror of her room, with snow falling through the window behind her. The text on the screen says "A day in my life at NEC: Snow Day Edition"
A Day in the Life: Pandemic Pods & Pancakes with Yi-Mei Templeman ’22
Cellist Yi-Mei Templeman shares a 30-second peek into a day in her life at NEC, and shares her thoughts on studying on campus, pandemic pods, and pancakes.
A large statue, approximately 20 feet high, with two scroll shapes like those at the end of a string instrument. The statue is metal, three-dimensional, and lit up from within. It stands at the corner of Gainsborough and St. Botolph streets. In this photo, a man stands at the foot of the statue looking up at it. He is wearing a face mask.
What's New: November
News about NEC students, alumni, and faculty members including Margaret Deutsch, Jenny Herzog, Vi Austenfeld, Theodora Nestorova, Kirsten Lamb, Abigale Reisman, Jason Palmer, Jerry Bergonzi, Tanya Blaich, Paula Murrihy, and more.
Older adult learners part of NEC’s Community Performances and Partnerships Program (CPP) tune into a live interactive performance by student, Andrey Chen. Credit: Tanya Maggi
Creative Aging: Keeping Generations Connected at New England Conservatory
How are NEC students supporting creative aging during the pandemic? New England Conservatory is one of twenty nonprofit arts education organizations selected to participate in the third cohort of the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Catalyzing Creative Aging Program.
An "I Vote" sticker on a desk with a cello bow, sheet music, and a pencil. The sticker also has the URL www.playforthevote.com
The Boston Globe | New album in hand, cellist Mike Block rallies musicians to play at the polls
Contemporary Improvisation faculty member Mike Block has launched Play for the Vote, which now includes hundreds of musicians in 40 states and the District of Columbia, but began with a simple idea: "“[I thought], ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I went down to the polling station and just played music all day for everyone who was voting?’ ”