Dare to explore where music education meets electrifying performance? That’s Kaufman Music Center. Founded in 1952, Kaufman Music Center began as a community music school. It has blossomed into one of New York City’s most dynamic cultural hubs.
Today, Kaufman Music Center is located on West 67th Street. More than 75,000 people engage with the Center annually. It houses the Lucy Moses School. It is New York’s largest community arts school. Kaufman Music Center also includes the Special Music School. This is a K-12 public school where music is a core subject. Face the Music, the teen new music program, is also part of the Center.
Originally, the center was known as the Hebrew Arts School for Music and Dance. In 1978, it found its permanent home in the Goodman House on West 67th Street. Abraham Goodman gave the building its name. Ashok Bhavnani designed the building in the Brutalist style. It even received the Albert S. Bard Trust Award for architectural excellence.
Merkin Hall opened in 1978. The organization was renamed the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center in 1991. This recognized a major gift from Elaine and Henry Kaufman. The Hebrew Arts School then became the Lucy Moses School. Kaufman Music Center partnered with the New York City Department of Education in 1996. Together, they opened the Special Music School/PS 859. It was a K-8 public school for musically gifted children. The school expanded into grades 9-12 in 2013.
Robert A.M. Stern Architects significantly renovated Merkin Hall in 2007. They also improved the building’s exterior.
During the early 1980s, the Hebrew Arts School saw a wave of Jewish émigrés from the Soviet Union. Many instructors struggled to transfer their credentials. The school offered them a haven and provided scholarships to their students.
Dr. Tzipora Jochsberger, the founder, retired in 1986. Lydia Kontos succeeded her until 2018. Kate Sheeran then took over as Executive Director of Kaufman Music Center. Hedge fund manager and philanthropist Roy Niederhoffer has also served on the board.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaufman Music Center hosted Musical Storefronts. From January to April 2021, 107 socially distanced performances took place. They occurred inside empty storefronts on the Upper West Side. This initiative offered employment to artists affected by the lockdowns.
The Goodman House, completed in 1978, was designed in a Brutalist raw-concrete style. While initially praised, its aesthetic later seemed outdated. A $17 million campaign launched in 2007 to renovate the complex. Elaine and Henry Kaufman pledged $7 million to the project. Elaine Kaufman emphasized the Center’s balance between education and performance.
Robert A.M. Stern Architects oversaw the 2007 renovation. They renovated the lobby, balcony levels, and the exterior. A new marquee now unifies the entrances to Merkin Hall and the schools. It visually and psychologically connects all parts of the Kaufman Music Center. In fact, Anthony Mazzocchi was recently named the new Executive Director of Kaufman Music Center.
Kaufman Music Center is a vibrant place. It is where music education and performance unite. It nurtures artists and audiences alike.