About NSM
The New School of Music (Cambridge, MA) is an inclusive community music school for children and adults of all ages and levels. We believe music is to be enjoyed, studied, loved, and understood by all people — regardless of age, ability, or prior experience — and offer generous need-based scholarships in support of this mission.
At NSM, we celebrate and support what makes each person unique, creating a welcoming space where you can come as you are and share your beautiful, individual self and perspective. Flexible, supportive teachers adapt to students' diverse learning styles & goals, and enjoy working in a variety of genres, including classical, jazz, pop, and musical theatre.
Our programs include private and group lessons, ensembles, events, recitals, and vacation programs in a student-centered environment. Take a trial lesson or attend a free recital, and come experience firsthand what we're all about!
Our Values
We've been connecting our community note-by-note since 1976 with these same core values:
All Ages
Welcoming students from 6 months to 80+ years
All Levels
From first-time learners to students with decades of experience
Inclusive
Celebrating and supporting what makes each person unique
Affordable
Free family events & generous need-based scholarships through the Van Slyck Fund
History
Founded in 1976 by composer, conductor, and musician Nicholas Van Slyck, the New School of Music has offered music education in Cambridge for nearly fifty years. Originally located on Concord Avenue, NSM moved to its present West Cambridge location in 1980 to take residence in the former Lowell School: a historic wood-framed schoolhouse built in 1883 and used by the Cambridge Public Schools through 1979. The Lowell School is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is the only remaining structure of its kind in Cambridge.
The New School of Music is located on the traditional and ancestral land of the Massachusett, the original inhabitants of what is now known as Boston and Cambridge. We pay respect to the people of the Massachusett Tribe, past and present, and honor the land itself which remains sacred to the Massachusett People.
NSM At a Glance
275
students
49
years of music education
29
faculty members
21
instruments & disciplines
15 +
free performances every year