Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a preeminent international conservatory of music granting Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Established in 1918 by pianist and philanthropist Janet Daniels Schenck, the School is dedicated to the personal, artistic, and intellectual development of each of its students, who range in age from the pre-college through the postgraduate level. Offering both classical and jazz training, the School instructs students in performance and composition and provides a broad-based education in music theory, history, and humanities. Students come from all over the world, drawn by a rigorous program that reflects the highest standards of musical heritage, and by the faculty, which includes some of the worlds best-known artists. 

At MSM, performance is not simply a goal for students; it is already an integral part of their lives. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, and master classes each year, the School resonates with the energy of working musicians. More than 10,000 alumni are active in every aspect of musical life around the world. 

Education and community engagement has been core to MSM's mission since the school's founding in 1918. Remaining faithful to its founding roots, the School has maintained its commitment to educational and community outreach throughout its history. In the New York City area, MSM hosts 300 concerts and presents a multitude of programs for schools each academic year. In 1996, interactive video conferencing technology enabled MSM to begin significantly expanding its outreach mission to include locations across the United States and around the world.

The Manhattan School of Music Distance Learning Program is an innovative program that uses interactive technology to increase access to the performing arts.  Through the development and creative use of broadband video conferencing and related instructional technologies, MSM Distance Learning provides access to artistic and academic resources that enhance student's education in musical performance while heightening the global communitys awareness of and participation in the musical arts. 

The MSM Distance Learning Program uses interactive video conferencing technology to deliver content to people outside of the school and bring content in for its students, enabling unprecedented access to world-renowned artists and collaboration opportunities. The program includes masterclasses, workshops, clinics, one-on-one teaching, professional development and coaching in classical music, jazz, opera, musical theatre and orchestral training. 

As the distance learning program has grown, MSM has been able to take its outreach mission to the broader global community via interactive distance learning, with the goal of engaging and inspiring a new generation.  MSM faculty and staff are passionate about reaching out to urban, rural, and underserved areas and providing exposure to the arts where it might otherwise be inaccessible. To that end, it has added a robust and engaging K-12 component to its program that is delivering live music content into the school systems where it is most needed.

MSM's K-12 distance learning programs are offered throughout the year and are delivered directly to classrooms around the nation. On average, MSM presents two to five programs per week to classrooms ranging in size from 15 to 40 students, or approximately 30-200 students per week.  MSM's strategic plan includes expansion of these offerings with a  goal of presenting five program classes per week, or approximately 200 per academic year reaching up to 8,000 students.

In addition, all of the K-12 content is offered to hospitals, libraries and senior and community centers throughout the United States.

The core of the MSM Distance Learning Program is the presentation of live, interactive music in real time.  In fact, that is one of the features that distinguishes the program from others that rely on asynchronous and e-learning models.  Video conference technology supports that mission by enabling the human connection.

The MSM distance learning model incorporates the use of both video conferencing and webstreaming simultaneously plus an additional video archival format to expand the audience, methods of delivery and learning capabilities. 

In a distance-learning environment of any type, clear communication is paramount, especially  when it comes to sound quality for music instruction over video conferencing.  That is why MSM worked directly with Polycom, the global leader in telepresence, video and voice communications solutions, to co-develop a new standard to optimize live, acoustic music.  Called Music Mode,  it took the MSM distance learning program to an entirely new level, allowing world-famous performers, composers, educators, and musicians to collaborate in the H. 323 environment with the high audio-visual quality that music applications require. Polycoms HD video conference systems with live music mode enable an unprecedented learning environment for teaching and learning as music places great demands on video conferencing technology. The system must provide the most transparent and seamless virtual learning environment with the lowest possible transmission latency so that the rapid-fire speaking and musical exchange between teacher and student can be fully realized. Additionally, the video conferencing system must transmit accurate and true sonic representations of the acoustical properties of sound and music for learning to be truly useful and effective. This requires full frequency stereo audio transmitted at high bit rates  (I.e., Polycoms Siren 22 Stereo codec). 

Because video is as important as audio quality in music instruction, MSM has integrated Polycom high-definition video systems into its distance learning program.  The clarity of HD video has greatly enhanced the experience, showing fine motor movements and great detail.  Teachers now have access to the same high level of visual acuity that they receive in the sound representation.

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Access to video conference technology through the distance learning program gives MSM students the opportunity to learn and interact with artists with whom they might never have the opportunity to meet, work with, or hear in a live setting.   It also enables MSM faculty and students to teach and perform on a more frequent basis, resulting in economic and career benefits for both.

The MSM Distance Learning Program allows collaborations with peer institutions throughout the world to extend the professional training students receive in preparation for eventually performing in the world's leading musical ensembles and organizations.   World-renowned music institutions including the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto all participate in these learning exchanges so that students at both institutions can benefit from having access to and learning from exceptional teachers at peer institutions. 

Other MSM distance learning programs focus on bringing various musical experts to remote collaborators in the form of coachings, clinics or professional development sessions to help student groups prepare for performances, concerts, competitions, and/or teachers expand their curriculum and professional development.

Outreach to schools
Since 1999, MSM has been developing outreach programs via video for K-12 schools, libraries, hospitals and community centers. The program delivers approximately 100 programs per year to locations throughout the country and has instituted a strategic plan to continually grow the number of programs offered annually. In the area of K-12 programs, MSM provides a wide variety of interdisciplinary offerings, applied lessons, masterclasses and coachings in classical, jazz, world music, and general music.
MSMs K-12 distance learning programs are a welcome resource in schools throughout the country where budgets continue to shrink and music education programs are being cut at an alarming rate.  The program is also helping boost educational equity for urban and rural students who, due to geography and lack of resources, dont have frequent access to cultural institutions and the arts.

MSM fee-based K-12 classes offer a complete unit of study that includes a curriculum guide with pre- and post-lessons for classroom integration and sustained learning impact. All of MSMs K-12 programs are aligned to New York state and national learning standards in the arts.  MSM also offers free programs for its partner schools that have participated in its distance learning courses, including training for young musical artists in how to design, create and present distance learning programs in the virtual learning environment. 

Jazz trumpeter and MSM faculty member, Cecil Bridgewater provided a band clinic for a high school jazz ensemble from East Irondequiot, New York. During the video conference, Mr. Bridgewater was able to listen and critique this ensemble as it prepared to compete in the Heritage Festival Band Competition in Quebec where it subsequently placed first in its category. 

Global Reach
MSM has found that musicians and institutions in other countries are eager to tap into the expertise of the educators and performers at the School and experience the musical environment of New York City, a cultural capital of the United States. Video conferencing is creating a global community that facilitates this access to MSM resources.  For example, MSM professors are offering training over video to faculty at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music on how to create a Jazz Arts and Musical Theatre program.  

Below are statements from participants and sponsors of MSM' Distance Learning Program:

"On several occasions I have mentioned to individuals how impressed I was with your program and operation. At a technology presentation at NASM [National Association of Schools of Music] given by The Cleveland Institute [of Music] and the New World Symphony last November, they mentioned your program as one of the leaders in the field. I am writing to ask if it might be possible for me to bring a small group of people from Westminster/Rider Univ. to MSM to see what you do, the hardware used, and a general overview of the program. I, of course, am thinking for the future of trying to do something in the choral and business/arts classes areas."
Bob Annis, Dean & Director
Westminster Choir College, Rider University, NJ

"It sparked an interest [in my students], and now they want to know more. It is important musical material; it relates very well to other academic areas. Along with the content of the materials being great, it was an opportunity for my students to see and hear live musicians. Another great way to use technology!"
Traci Brandt / Amy Gibson
Heath Middle School
Heath, OH

"My students were remarkably changed by this experience. They were excited about learning from a professional violinist and when he spoke and played the students were mesmerized. He was so engaging that the students wanted to try when he said and really seemed to enjoy the interaction. It was so wonderful to collaborate with such amazing teachers and to get more ideas about how to present instruction and material. It was just wonderful. Just to have the opportunity to interact with someone from MSM is an honor, and the depth of knowledge and resources from your school to our students is worth its weight in gold! I was especially impressed with the fact that our instructors were so willing to meet the students at their level  without excuse or admonishment  and created a positive learning environment where the students felt comfortable and excited to learn. It was wonderful! Thank you for everything!" 
Syndy Ortwein
Perry Meridian High School
Indianapolis, IN

"The program is an extreme benefit to this school, to be able to know whats going on outsidebecause this school is so large, we hardly know whats going on in other music classes, so to be able to see whats going on at other high schools and especially at Manhattan School of Music, and having them present this type of program to us, is extremely beneficial. It definitely helped them [students] musically and educationally."
Ira Goldstein
Forest Hills High School
Queens, NY

"This was our first VTC with a conservatory and I learned that children enjoyed it immensely! I anticipate many repeats. I would recommend thisI believe all of these children would understand and benefit from this program. We had experts play for us and teach us!!! How many times can we bring all these instruments in an elementary school? (Not often). Presenters were very knowledgeable and engaging  a very cool way to learn music."
Adina Popa
Potowmack Elementary School
Sterling, VA

"We loved the VC with Lauren and Shane yesterday! The performance quality was superb. I hope you were able to see the faces of our young students. For me that is the best part of any program: watching their rapt attention and sheer enjoyment. After this performance, the students were not only complimentary to the performers, but they wanted more!"
Lucy Cassidy-Van Hoff
Glenwood Landing School
Glen Head, NY

MSM has the distinction of being the first conservatory in the United States to incorporate video conferencing into its music performance education curriculum, as early as 1996.  What began as a revolutionary way to accommodate the touring schedule of world-renowned violinist, conductor and MSM faculty member, Pinchas Zukerman, has grown into a comprehensive distance learning program serving students and faculty throughout the country and around the world.

The most salient and unique aspect of MSM's programs is that each delivers live music performance and interaction with partner school students and teachers.  CD playback is used only occasionally to demonstrate historical or archival performances, the main focus is on live music performance in real-time. MSM's K-12 Distance Learning Program tag line - Connect. Interact. Listen. Learn -
expresses the four core elements of the program that underline the programs unique qualities, format and technologies.

Connect: Renowned musicians from the MSM faculty, up-and-coming performers and student mentors as teachers.

Interact: Dynamic live performances with interactive instruction and demonstrations.

Listen: State-of-the-art sound for live music video conferencing using Polycoms Music Mode.

Learn: Standards-based applied music lessons and interdisciplinary curriculum-based themes. 

In addition, MSM Distance Learning is highly respected and viewed as a model by leading music organizations around the globe.  To date, more than 25 world-renowned institutions have created their distance learning  programs based directly on the MSM model, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, Canadas National Arts Centre and Carnegie Hall.

In 1996, the biggest obstacle to the implementation of MSM's Distance Learning Program was the fact that its vision was ahead of the technology required to support it.  At that time, the MSM team saw that people around the world wanted access to the School's resources and identified interactive video conferencing as the technology that would enable the program.  However, video conferencing audio technology was designed to accommodate speech, not musical sound. In fact, the acoustical properties of musical sound demand different technological requirements than speech, such that, without necessary modifications, musical sound transmitted through video conferencing systems would never be truly satisfactory to music performing and training on a high level. 

Within the context of a music lesson, teacher and student engage in constant and/or rapid-fire exchanges of speaking, playing and gesturing, as well as doing all of this simultaneously or over one another.  Musicians are trained to process multiple, simultaneous sensory stimuli, and therefore, as they hone this skill, they come to demand this capability within a working, learning or teaching environment. The rules of exchange are different from speech etiquette and therefore test the responsiveness of full-duplex audio and acoustic echo cancellation to very high degree. 

MSM approached Polycom engineering with this particular conundrum of the inherent incompatibility of musical sound with standard H. 323 codecs. Through discussion and study of MSM's unique application, Polycom engineering indicated that with modifications made to certain underlying advanced acoustic technologies in the audio codec, that MSM's special needs and requirements could potentially be met.  Following this, MSM collaborated on a series of live music tests and experiments with different musical instruments and ensembles with Polycom engineering to test their audio theory. Indeed these newly incorporated alterations produced very promising results. Further modifications were tested and the final outcome of these tests resulted in the creation of a special audio feature set deployed in the Polycom VSX and HDX codec lines called Music Mode a system specially designed for the transmission of live, interactive, acoustic music performances and exchanges. 

MSM encountered tremendous resistance to its efforts to make the audio portion of video conferencing compatible with music instruction and performance.  The distance learning team contacted numerous vendors about its needs, but none were interested in customizing a solution.  When MSM contacted Polycom, the company was actually in the midst of transitioning from mono to stereo sound and a mutually beneficial partnership was formed.  Polycom was able to accommodate MSM's needs for a more advanced audio feature set and at the same time fine tune its newest audio algorithm by testing it during live performances over the video systems from MSM musicians.

Exceeded

MSM Distance Learning is an internationally-recognized program that virtually delivers more than 100 programs per year to approximately 1,700 students in 30 states and 15 countries.   It is viewed as a model for distance music education by audiences around the world.  In the area of Jazz education, the MSM distance learning program has been hailed as the gold standard for interaction distance learning in jazz education.  (JazzTimes Education Guide, Fall 2007).

From a technology standpoint, MSM has paved the way for other institutions that want to use interactive video conferencing to increase access to the arts.  The Music Mode audio feature set was created through MSM's collaboration with Polycom and today it is preinstalled on Polycoms VSX and HDX codec product lines for the benefit of all educators. In this age of enriched multimedia applications, Music Mode can be used for any educational application to transmit the highest quality sound.  

MSM Distance Learning affects global communities by providing cultural enrichment and access to world-class artists.  Through the program, it is able to export aspects of quintessentially American culture to audiences all over the world.

 MSM has received the following awards:
	Internet2: Internet2 Driving Exemplary Applications (IDEA Award) for Interactive Music Education (Winner 2006)
	Grants: Bell Atlantic Excellence in Education Grant; Verizon Grant
New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA); United States Department of Commerce (PTFP Program for Non-Broadcast Distance Learning)

Since its inception, the MSM distance learning program has received strong organizational leadership and support.  Musicians and educators have enthusiastically leveraged the technology in order to expand and develop learning opportunities and experiences for all students.

Students have embraced the technology for learning and are even being trained in the delivery of music education distance learning programs.  It quickly becomes second nature to them.

Music institutions around the US are working to make sure the field stays relevant in the 21st century, looking beyond the traditional brick and mortar venues for performances.  Video conferencing is a powerful tool for accomplishing this and the MSM partner institutions have been very receptive to participating in the distance learning program.

From a performer perspective, the program has the honor of counting two illustrious world-class musicians as staunch advocates and proponents for the distance learning endeavors for music and art at MSM and in this country.  Maestro Pinchas Zukerman, the world-renown violinist, conductor, and violist, was the pioneering influence behind the concept of using video conferencing technology for musical arts training. He remains an active member of the MSM faculty and champion of music distance learning. More recently, the renowned American Baritone, Thomas Hampson has joined the schools board of trustees to actively develop and help to cultivate the schools distance learning program.  Zukerman and Hampson are honorary members of the schools distance learning advisory committee and participate in numerous demonstrations and practical applications of the technology throughout the year.  Both are actively engaged in educational and  fundraising activities that benefit the program.