“Everything that I have done throughout my career has been based on the lessons that I learned at NEC. Studying in the Afro-American Music and Third Stream Music Departments (precursor of today's CI Dept.) I was taught the one-two combination of ear training and developing my own style. My teachers - Jaki Byard, Joe Maneri, Bob DiDomenica & Ran Blake in particular - went far beyond giving me the technical skills necessary to flourish. They encouraged me to be myself, to find my own way of making music.” — Frank London ‘80
“When I attended NEC I encountered many new worlds, musical and otherwise…. My first year I didn't know anyone and got a lot of practicing done; the second year I was playing in five big bands - something I haven't done since, with the exception of Misha Mengelberg's Instant Composers Pool Orchestra. Highlights were private lessons with Jaki Byard and Joe Allard, classes with Joe Maneri, and playing with Ran Blake, and the big bands of Jaki, George Russell and Gunther Schuller. I still have important musical relationships with some of my fellow students from that time. What more can one ask, I ask, of a school?” — Michael Moore ‘72
“NEC was a formative time for me, mainly because I felt like I was being taught how to teach myself. John McNeil encouraged me to create practice materials for myself that were constantly evolving and regenerating. He and others at the Conservatory engendered an atmosphere of everlasting curiosity and wonder for music. In my creative life I find myself constantly going back to lessons I learned at NEC, reexamining and reevaluating the basic materials that make up music and musicianship. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.” — Dave Douglas ‘83
“NEC's staff to me was 5 star!! As far as influences on my career, two professors come to mind: 1) Prof. Tesson/Jazz Ensemble: Mr. Tesson helped me with my ability to mix jazz chord voicings with my classical piano training. He had a big influence on my approach to mixing the two genres; 2) Prof. Mikos Schwab/piano teacher: Mr. Schwab taught me a lot about wrist technique in my playing and his mild manner and demeanor helped me to stay humble. I am grateful to God and NEC for these two people" — Bernie Worrell
“Attending NEC was a life-changing experience for me. Being there helped shape the way I think about and what I value about music still today. The friends and musical associations I developed while there continue to be an important and inspiring part of my life." — Jamie Baum ‘81
“Having been exposed to live classical music for the first time and getting to frequently hear the amazing students from the classical studies play probably had the biggest impact on me. There were some real heavyweight teachers that I absorbed a ton of info from including Dave Holland, Ran Blake, Hankus Netsky, John McNeil, John Heiss, George Garzone, and with Joe Maneri being the most nurturing and influential for me. Most importantly though was the experience of being on a journey of musical discovery with my peers at NEC who I probably learned the most from.” — Cuong Vu ‘93
“Studying at NEC was a very special experience for me. I had been struggling to find my voice until I went to school there. All of the teachers at NEC encouraged the students to express their own music, and the atmosphere was totally free and open. I believe finding and expressing one’s musical voice is the most important thing for a musician and without my NEC experience I don’t believe I’d be doing so.” — Satoko Fujii ’96 G.D.
“My education at NEC gave me the skills and inspiration I needed to go to my next level of teaching, music making and creating in my professional career. I learned to listen deeper from Hankus Netsky and Ran Blake, think analytically from Dominique Eade and believe in my talent and ability to create from John McNeil. The challenges were great and the opportunities to try new things were many. All have profoundly influenced my teaching, writing, singing and consistent belief that music has the power to entertain, change and improve our collective humanity.” — Lisa Thorson ’94 M.M.
“NEC is all about nurturing original voices, which is exactly what a jazz school should be about. In my case, studying with true creative artists like Danilo Prez, Bob Brookmeyer, Jerry Bergonzi and Steve Lacy was a hugely inspiring experience, one that prepared me to move to New York with the conviction to follow my own musical path." — Dan Tepfer ’05 M.M.
“I studied privately with eight different teachers in my time at N.E.C. — a rare porthole into eight unique musical concepts, teaching styles and creative minds. Spending time with each teacher, I became familiar with a vast landscape of musical possibilities. What all of my teachers shared was an earnest desire to help me define my own musical vision, as unique and thoughtful as their own. One of my favorite things to do while in school was to go out and see my teachers perform around town. It was a great way to see the techniques I was learning in action and also be inspired by how in performance those techniques became completely secondary to the greater goal of Music. John McNeil can fit a whole semester of Jazz Theory into one chorus of Happy Little Sunbeam and it will still sound like Music.” — Bridget Kearney ’08 Tufts, ’08 NEC Double degree program.
“The faculty at NEC is why I chose to dedicate 4 years there. Now, after living in NYC for almost a year, I perform with a number of NEC's faculty in different projects. NEC offers courses on things such as composition and improvisation, but the real reason to go there is to hang out. To be surrounded by such a high level of student and teacher musicianship is what separates NEC from any other conservatory." — Noah Preminger ‘08
“When I attended NEC I encountered many new worlds, musical and otherwise…. My first year I didn't know anyone and got a lot of practicing done; the second year I was playing in five big bands - something I haven't done since, with the exception of Misha Mengelberg's Instant Composers Pool Orchestra. Highlights were private lessons with Jaki Byard and Joe Allard, classes with Joe Maneri, and playing with Ran Blake, and the big bands of Jaki, George Russell and Gunther Schuller. I still have important musical relationships with some of my fellow students from that time. What more can one ask, I ask, of a school?” — Michael Moore ‘72
“NEC was a formative time for me, mainly because I felt like I was being taught how to teach myself. John McNeil encouraged me to create practice materials for myself that were constantly evolving and regenerating. He and others at the Conservatory engendered an atmosphere of everlasting curiosity and wonder for music. In my creative life I find myself constantly going back to lessons I learned at NEC, reexamining and reevaluating the basic materials that make up music and musicianship. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.” — Dave Douglas ‘83
“NEC's staff to me was 5 star!! As far as influences on my career, two professors come to mind: 1) Prof. Tesson/Jazz Ensemble: Mr. Tesson helped me with my ability to mix jazz chord voicings with my classical piano training. He had a big influence on my approach to mixing the two genres; 2) Prof. Mikos Schwab/piano teacher: Mr. Schwab taught me a lot about wrist technique in my playing and his mild manner and demeanor helped me to stay humble. I am grateful to God and NEC for these two people" — Bernie Worrell
“Attending NEC was a life-changing experience for me. Being there helped shape the way I think about and what I value about music still today. The friends and musical associations I developed while there continue to be an important and inspiring part of my life." — Jamie Baum ‘81
“Having been exposed to live classical music for the first time and getting to frequently hear the amazing students from the classical studies play probably had the biggest impact on me. There were some real heavyweight teachers that I absorbed a ton of info from including Dave Holland, Ran Blake, Hankus Netsky, John McNeil, John Heiss, George Garzone, and with Joe Maneri being the most nurturing and influential for me. Most importantly though was the experience of being on a journey of musical discovery with my peers at NEC who I probably learned the most from.” — Cuong Vu ‘93
“Studying at NEC was a very special experience for me. I had been struggling to find my voice until I went to school there. All of the teachers at NEC encouraged the students to express their own music, and the atmosphere was totally free and open. I believe finding and expressing one’s musical voice is the most important thing for a musician and without my NEC experience I don’t believe I’d be doing so.” — Satoko Fujii ’96 G.D.
“My education at NEC gave me the skills and inspiration I needed to go to my next level of teaching, music making and creating in my professional career. I learned to listen deeper from Hankus Netsky and Ran Blake, think analytically from Dominique Eade and believe in my talent and ability to create from John McNeil. The challenges were great and the opportunities to try new things were many. All have profoundly influenced my teaching, writing, singing and consistent belief that music has the power to entertain, change and improve our collective humanity.” — Lisa Thorson ’94 M.M.
“NEC is all about nurturing original voices, which is exactly what a jazz school should be about. In my case, studying with true creative artists like Danilo Prez, Bob Brookmeyer, Jerry Bergonzi and Steve Lacy was a hugely inspiring experience, one that prepared me to move to New York with the conviction to follow my own musical path." — Dan Tepfer ’05 M.M.
“I studied privately with eight different teachers in my time at N.E.C. — a rare porthole into eight unique musical concepts, teaching styles and creative minds. Spending time with each teacher, I became familiar with a vast landscape of musical possibilities. What all of my teachers shared was an earnest desire to help me define my own musical vision, as unique and thoughtful as their own. One of my favorite things to do while in school was to go out and see my teachers perform around town. It was a great way to see the techniques I was learning in action and also be inspired by how in performance those techniques became completely secondary to the greater goal of Music. John McNeil can fit a whole semester of Jazz Theory into one chorus of Happy Little Sunbeam and it will still sound like Music.” — Bridget Kearney ’08 Tufts, ’08 NEC Double degree program.
“The faculty at NEC is why I chose to dedicate 4 years there. Now, after living in NYC for almost a year, I perform with a number of NEC's faculty in different projects. NEC offers courses on things such as composition and improvisation, but the real reason to go there is to hang out. To be surrounded by such a high level of student and teacher musicianship is what separates NEC from any other conservatory." — Noah Preminger ‘08
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