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Christianne Orto, Director, Recording & Videoconferencing, Manhattan School of Music

Maestro Pinchas Zukerman, renowned violinist, conductor, and Manhattan School of Music faculty member, conducts a lesson with his student Jesus Reina over Internet2 networks during Manhattan Connects, an Internet2 conference for New York's cultural institutions held on April 18, 2007 in the William R. and Irene D. Miller Recital Hall at Manhattan School of Music. During the exchange, Maestro Zukerman was located at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada.

Manhattan School of Music, a preeminent international conservatory of music, which has just celebrated its 90th anniversary, was established in 1918 as settlement community music school. Serving its surrounding community in West Harlem, the conservatory eventually began training musical artists for the world's concert stages, notably Max Roach, Herbie Hancock, Harry Connick Jr., and Ron Carter, amongst others. While the conservatory became a major training ground for young aspiring musicians, Manhattan School of Music never forsake its roots in community outreach and engagement. The school currently provides 300 concerts and performances to city schools each academic year. Additionally, the school now provides music programming around the globe thanks to the research and education networks of NYSERNet and Internet2.

In 2006, Manhattan School of Music's distance learning program, the first such program at a major United States conservatory, established connectivity to NYSERNet and Internet2. This groundbreaking networking initiative enabled the conservatory to extend its musical reach beyond its immediate surroundings to the world community. In short, NYSERNet enabled Manhattan School of Music to expand its mission of musical outreach to learners and listeners around the globe.

Incomparable jazz trumpeter and Manhattan School of Music faculty member Cecil Bridgewater coaches the Eastridge Jazz Ensemble from Rochester, NY over Internet2 networks during the same event. Mr. Bridgewater closed the session by playing the trumpet lead with the ensemble live from Rochester, and to those in the audience it was as if the whole ensemble was there in the room with them.

Manhattan School of Music reaches the NYSERNet Research and Education (R&E) Network point-of-presence (PoP) in Manhattan using fiber optics provided by Columbia University. Via the R&E Network, MSM delivers over 100 distance learning videoconference programs to 1750 students each academic year. Thus far, music programs have been given to students in 27 of the 50 states and 15 foreign countries. Via its Global Conservatory Videoconference Program Series, students in higher education can receive instruction, coaching, audition preparation, professional development and music history courses from the school's renowned faculty-some of today's most sought after teachers. Similarly, through its K-12 distance learning program, Manhattan School of Music delivers live music performance and experiences directly to school classrooms with its various program offerings such as Journey through Jazz I & II; The Music of George Gershwin; Music from around the World; Classical meets Pop: How the two fall in love, and more! To find out more about Manhattan School of Music's distance learning program offerings via NYSERNet, visit www.msmnyc.edu/special/distancelearning.