About

Kaufman Center is New York’s creative home for listeners, learners and performers.

Kaufman Center is one of New York City's most vibrant cultural organizations, combining the finest in music education for all ages with world class performance in the acoustically superior Merkin Concert Hall. Founded in 1952 as a community school for pre-conservatory music training, today's Kaufman Center provides entertainment, education and inspiration for more than 75,000 New Yorkers every year. 

Kaufman Center is made up of three unique divisions:

Merkin Concert Hall

Merkin Concert Hall’s innovative programming, intimate scale and near perfect acoustics have earned it a reputation as one of New York City’s finest concert venues. Noted in the New York Times for its “reputation for avant-gardism of a cool and cerebral nature,” Merkin presents adventurous work—including many world premieres—by contemporary composers and some of today’s most acclaimed and inspiring performers. In addition to cutting-edge new music, Merkin Concert Hall presents some of the best new talents in the classical world, celebrations of musical theater with Broadway’s top professionals and lively musical reviews for children and families. Signature series include Broadway Close Up, Tuesday Matinees, the Ecstatic Music Festival, the New York Guitar Festival, Broadway Playhouse, Poppy Seed Players, New York Festival of Song and New Sounds Live hosted by WNYC’s John Schaefer.

Lucy Moses School

New York’s largest community arts school and one of the country’s finest, Lucy Moses School (LMS) offers classes and lessons in music, dance and theater for children and adults at all levels of skill and experience. For nearly 60 years, the school has been giving thousands of people the opportunity to make music and the performing arts a part of their lives, embracing students from age 18 months up to 90+. More than just a school, LMS feels like a community, specializing in making the arts fun and accessible with a wide range of classes, performance opportunities and private lessons. The breadth and quality of its offerings distinguish LMS from the many arts education institutions in New York City’s vibrant cultural landscape. Watch a video about LMS's Young People's Division and get a behind-the-scenes look at our creative community.

Special Music School

Special Music School (P.S. 859) is the only K-8 public school in New York for musically-gifted children—and a leading music education innovator. A unique public/private partnership between Kaufman Center and the New York City Department of Education, the school combines intensive instrumental instruction with a rigorous academic program. Special Music School will expand into the high school grades beginning in the fall of 2013.