Bard College

The Longy School of Music of Bard College is a prestigious institution located at 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1915 by Georges Longy, the eminent principal oboist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the school was established with the aim of providing comprehensive training in musicianship and performance following the Paris Conservatoire model. The school's curriculum has always emphasized individual attention to each student, as well as a strong foundation in solfège and theory, which remain central to its programs today. After Georges Longy, his daughter Renée Longy-Miquelle took over as Director in 1925-1926, shaping the school's character as a small, intimate institution with high performance standards and rigorous musicianship training. She was instrumental in incorporating Dalcroze Eurhythmics into the curriculum and ensuring the school's faculty included notable Boston Symphony colleagues. In the 1930s, the Longy School moved to Cambridge and acquired the stone house built by Edwin Abbot in 1889. This move facilitated a close relationship with Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, with many of Harvard's talented music students studying with Longy's distinguished faculty members, such as Walter Piston, E. Power Biggs, Sarah Caldwell, and Olga Averino. The school's history is marked by its association with prominent figures in the music world, including Nadia Boulanger who joined the faculty in 1938 and taught advanced courses in harmony, composition, and counterpoint until 1945. The 1940s also saw the Stradivarius Quartet begin its extended residency at Longy, with notable musicians such as Wolfe Wolfinsohn and Eugene Lehner contributing to the school's chamber music coaching. Under the directorship of Melville Smith in 1941, the school entered a golden age, fostering a collaborative environment between students and faculty. In 1962, Nicholas Van Slyck became the director, emphasizing the school's prestigious history and values. The 1970s brought further developments with the opening of the Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall in 1970 and the directorship of violinist Roman Totenberg in 1978, who expanded the faculty and founded the Young Performers Program. The 1985 appointment of Victor Rosenbaum as the eighth Director coincided with the accreditation of a Master of Music degree program, raising the school's conservatory profile. The school celebrated its 75th anniversary in the 1990s with a major capital campaign that led to the renovation of Pickman Hall and the construction of the Bakalar Music Library. The turn of the millennium saw a $15 million capital campaign to support scholarships, facility renovations, and faculty compensation. In 2007, Karen Zorn became the 10th head of the school, succeeding Anna Kuwabara. Zorn's tenure marked a period of growth and reaffirmation of the school's philosophy of preparing musicians to make a difference in the world. A significant milestone in the school's history was its merger with Bard College in 2012, which expanded its community of musicians, scholars, and world leaders, fostering an environment for intellectual and musical exchange. Today, the Longy School of Music of Bard College continues to offer elite and rigorous training, preparing students to meet the challenges of a changing global landscape, and standing at the vanguard of advancing the future of music and music education. The faculty comprises GRAMMY award winners, Steinway Artists, a MacArthur Fellow, and musicians from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra. The school's alumni have become world-renowned performers, educators, and founders of educational programs, contributing significantly to the global music scene. The Longy School of Music remains an exciting and distinctive educational leader, honoring its rich history while looking forward to the future of music education.