Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Juilliard School
Juilliard's reputation couldn't be much more burnished, with luminaries like Philip
Glass, Yo-Yo Ma, and Itzhak Perlman among its alums. Since its current students are nominally amateurs, the
Lincoln Center school presents most of its concerts for free. Soloists play Morse and Paul Hall, and you can catch
the entire orchestra at Alice Tully Hall. Though there is no charge, tickets are required for some shows, available
from the box office up to 2 weeks prior to the show (with some standby available same-day; be sure to be on line
1 hr. before curtain). Regular lunchtime concerts keep NYC's morale up; Tuesdays at 12:30pm, an office building
atrium at 180 Maiden Lane hosts student performances; and Wednesdays at One programs can be found at Alice
Tully Hall. Tuesdays run most of the year, but Wednesdays are limited to the school year. Both are free with no
tickets required.
The Janet and Leonard Kramer Box Office (Juilliard Box Office), 155 W. 65th St., btw. Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.
212/769-7406.
www.juilliard.edu
.
Subway: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center.
Quarter Pounding the Keys
McDonald's and classical music go together like a Big Mac and fries. Er, maybe not. Sunday afternoons see a bizarre cul-
tural collision at the McDonald's nearest Ground Zero. Classical pianist
AndrewShapiro
and his occasional guests layer
lovely New Agey music over the scent of seared meat. Tourists wander in with only an occasional perplexed glance at the
grand piano in the window of the second-floor balcony. For erudite music fans, this is probably the calmest it's possible
to feel inside a McDonald's. 160 Broadway, btw. Liberty and Cortlandt sts.
212/385-2063.
www.andrewshapiro.com
.
Subway: R to Cortlandt St.; A/C/J/Z/2/3/4/5 to Fulton St./Broadway Nassau. Sun sets beginning at noon, 1, 2, and 3pm,
season usually runs Nov-June.
Manhattan School of Music
With an Art Deco main auditorium (built by the Empire State Building's
firm) and six other venues, there's no shortage of places to listen here. Classical music performances are joined
by jazz, which snuck into the curriculum after MSM's founding 90 years ago (Yusef Lateef and Harry Connick,
Jr., are among the alums). Many shows are free to the public—no ticket required, although reservations are re-
quested for some—as are a series of master classes. Nearby Riverside Park hosts even more performances, at the
116th Street Overlook on mild-weather Sunday afternoons. Most events take place during the school year; check
online for a full schedule.
601 W. 122nd St., at Broadway.
917/493-4428.
www.msmnyc.edu
. Subway: 1 to 125th St.
Divine Inspiration: Concerts at the Churches
Even heathens can find entertainment under the city's steeples. Choirs are only the beginning, as recitals and operas also
take the altars, often for free. Worker bees downtown love the
ConcertsatOne
series at St. Paul's Chapel and Trinity
Church. Midtowners can enjoy the spring lunchtime concerts at the
ChurchoftheTransiguration
(better known as
the Little Church Around the Corner; 1 E. 29th St.
212/684-4174;
www.littlechurch.org
;
$5 suggested donation; Tues
at 12:30pm). Uptown, the
InterchurchCenter,
475 Riverside Dr. at 120th Street (
212/870-2200;
www.interchurch-
center.org
)
hosts Wednesday Noonday Concerts at 11:15am. For an evening of polished classical performances, check
out the
NewYorkRepertoryOrchestra.
Though this all-volunteer group has many amateurs in its ranks, the renditions
of Brahms, Mahler, and Stravinsky are all professional. Programming is adventurous, and the shows are free. Usually
Saturday nights at 8pm at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin (145 W. 46th St., btw. Sixth and Seventh aves.;
212/
662-8383;
www.nyro.org
; subway: B/D/F/M to 47th-50th sts./Rockefeller Center).
Mannes College of Music
During the school year, this 95-year-old institution presents some 400 free
concerts. Student groups include baroque chamber, guitar, brass, and opera ensembles. Two concert halls at the
college's headquarters host the free shows. There are also remote performances at places like the New School
(Mannes merged with it in 1989), where lunchtime performances are followed by receptions. Check the website's
calendar for the full listings.
150 W. 85th St., btw. Amsterdam and Columbus aves.
212/580-0210,
ext. 4817.
www.mannes.edu
.
Subway: B/C to
86th St.
