Eugene Lang College
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts is an academic space that defies tradition. Our approach to liberal arts education was born out of The New School's vision to transcend intellectual boundaries and reimagine academic norms. At Lang, we challenge you to think critically and be accountable for your own scholarly development. We allow you to tailor your curriculum to your interests and study a range of disciplines within the ecosystem of The New School.
First Year and Beyond
Cross-University Minors
BA/BFA Dual Degree
Bachelor's-Master's Dual Degree
BA/BS Requirements
Graduation Requirements for Transfer Students
Advising and Resources
Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Gural Scholars
Capitalism Studies
Code as a Liberal Art
Journalism + Design
Screen Studies
Anchored in intensive reading and writing, learning at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts involves developing and challenging ideas and investigating the status quo. Critical thinking is at our core, a skill that you practice and hone in small, discussion-based classes where participation and interrogation lay the groundwork for your academic success.
Civic Engagement & Social Justice
Your education at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts encourages you to examine the world in new and unexpected ways by combining rigorous study with intellectual freedom. Our students and faculty draw on different disciplines to generate new ideas, create new models of investigation, and new approaches to solving relevant and current problems.
Campus Life and Activities
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts is an intellectual home with the benefit of a comprehensive university's rich ecosystem of organizations, activities, and events. Our New York City location further broadens and enriches our community and brings you endless opportunities for academic, cultural, and social discovery and growth.
Our liberal arts education produces graduates who are well prepared for today's rapidly evolving working world. Our graduates go on to fulfilling careers in today's top industries. Among our recent alumni are conscious entertainers, influential journalists, grassroots and national activists, award-winning scholars and authors, and socially responsible entrepreneurs and executives.
At Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, we look for self-motivated and open-minded students who are ready to immerse themselves in a reading- and writing-intensive program that requires them to practice critical thinking and tackle difficult questions. We understand that selecting the right school can be a challenging process. Our admission team is here to help you navigate this critical journey and get to know you better.
The New School Campus offers students world-class academic, housing and dining facilities, located in the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village.
Admission Hub Login
See Fall 2019 Contemporary Music Courses
University Minors
Admission Contact
79 Fifth Avenue, 5th floor
Phone: 212.229.5150 or
lang@newschool.edu
Eugene Lang Opportunity Awards
ELOA@newschool.edu
Office of Civic Engagement and Social Justice
langcesj@newschool.edu
Prospective students with questions about the Contemporary Music major:
Email langarts@newschool.edu or
Stefania de Kenessey
Director and Departmental Faculty Advisor for Contemporary Music
dekeness@newschool.edu
Investigate the cultural significance of music composition, performance, and listening practices in today's world. The Contemporary Music program at Lang emphasizes innovative musical thinking and music-making in The New School's tradition of progressive education and experimentation in the arts. Explore the global diversity of contemporary music, examining topics including popular music, music history, theory, and criticism, and the evolving technologies used in composing, producing, performing, and listening.
Study Options Major, Minor
The Contemporary Music curriculum covers a range of traditional approaches to music studies and creative practices and also explores emerging and innovative approaches to the understanding and making of music. This area of study enables you to combine theory with practice, connecting intellectual approaches to hands-on creative work. Our areas of focus are:
Diverse genres of 20th-century and contemporary popular music, both mainstream and alternative
Global perspectives on music, including the musical life of diverse communities in New York City
Music technology and media, including digital production and distribution of music and the significance of music in other media, such as film and video
Music theory, history, and criticism, including musical aesthetics, the poetics of song, and the study of music in its many social and cultural contexts
As a student in the Contemporary Music program at Lang, you can also enroll in selected courses across the university through the College of Performing Arts and Parsons School of Design.
University Music Resources
While it offers the atmosphere and intimacy of a small college, Eugene Lang College is part of The New School, a major progressive university in New York City. The university also contains a College of Performing Arts, which is home to two renowned music schools: Mannes School of Music and the School of Jazz. This allows Contemporary Music students at Lang to benefit from university-wide resources and opportunities:
Students who want both a liberal arts education and professional training in jazz and contemporary music can pursue the BA/BFA pathway.
Students can access a dedicated music library and an extensive program of public concerts and music-related lectures, seminars, and conferences.
Connecting to New York City
Our campus location in the heart of Greenwich Village allows you to use the vibrant music scene of the city as a learning laboratory. You have opportunities to find internships and other work in many fields of avant-garde and traditional music practice throughout the city. Studying in this cultural capital, you have countless chances to experience music of all styles and eras, including concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and experimental venues like the Kitchen and Issue Project Room, as well as The Stone, which is currently based at The New School.
Our program is designed to develop well-rounded and engaged citizens who are thoughtful, articulate, and creative. Contemporary Music majors at Lang go on to pursue advanced studies in the fields of musicology, anthropology, history, and media studies and continue on to careers in music production and distribution, arts writing and criticism, administration, and education.
If you are planning to go on to graduate study in a related field, consider applying to the Bachelor's-Master's program, which enables you to earn graduate credits that will apply to both your Lang degree and a graduate degree at The New School.
Contemporary Music faculty and recent guest artists include award-winning performers and composers and renowned academic scholars.