The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music is located on the fifth and sixth floors of 55 West 13th Street, the university's primary building for technology services. The school's 20,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility was designed to help young artists realize their goal of becoming successful music professionals. The facility offers administrative, classroom, practice, and rehearsal space, all constructed to the highest standards with attention to acoustics, soundproofing, and aesthetics. All classrooms are equipped with Yamaha grand pianos, drum kits, amplifiers, vocal PA systems, and full component stereo systems. Specialized instrumental practice and teaching rooms, listening library, and piano/MIDI labs are offered. Performance and recording needs are served in an intimate and beautiful performance space seating 120, with full capacity for professional sound, lighting, and recording. A second studio is available for additional recording and engineering. Both studios are connected to the university's server and Internet sites, allowing for posted archival recordings and live streaming performance. Additional university performance facilities within a two-block radius of the Greenwich Village campus include a 170-seat performance auditorium and an excellent acoustically balanced concert hall with an audience capacity of 500.
Our main building, located at 55 West 13th Street, houses the Performance Space, classrooms, offices, university computer labs, and the Student Activities Center. It is a place for students to meet and socialize as well as study. The building offers lockers for storing equipment, mailboxes for correspondence and class information, and bulletin boards on which notices for gigs and concerts, equipment sales, and other information are posted.
Building Hours
During the academic year, normal building hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight. The equipment room is staffed from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 midnight Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, and from 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight on Sunday.
Academic Computing Centers
The Office of Academic Computing operates three general-access laboratories as a service to students. Each facility offers a wide variety of software, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, music notation, and graphics and statistical packages. Students using the centers are supported by a full-time staff and assisted by lab aides. Training seminars and documentation are available on supported software and hardware.
One of these centers is of special interest to Jazz students:tThe Knowledge Union, a state-of-the-art film, video, and multimedia production facility located on the eighth and ninth floors of 55 West 13th Street. Among its studios is a dedicated music lab where many New School Jazz music technology courses are held.