Kaufman Music Center is New York’s go-to place for music education and performance.

Music lovers, from curious fans to renowned performers, come together there to explore their musical passions. Founded in 1952 as a community music school, today’s Kaufman Music Center is one of the city’s most vibrant cultural organizations, combining world-class teaching with electrifying performances featuring rising young classical stars, Broadway icons, and cutting-edge performer/composers who are redefining contemporary music.

Get 2 tickets to any of the following series presented by Kaufman Music Center at Merkin Concert Hall during the 2016-17 season:

Broadway Playhouse 

These performances introduce kids age 4-11 to classic Broadway musicals with songs, stories, sing-alongs and audience participation games in which children in the audience are chosen to join the cast on stage. All performances take place at 11:00 AM.

Upcoming performances include:

• George and Ira Gershwin, Sunday, January 22, 2017


• Harold Arlen, Sunday, February 12, 2017


• Alan Menken, Sunday, March 05, 2017

Ecstatic Music Festival

Kaufman Music Center’s Ecstatic Music Festival returns for its seventh year, bringing together composers and performers from different musical genres for nine one-night-only performances featuring world premieres, new arrangements and the exclusive opportunity to hear artists discuss their work. Starting Jan 9 and running through May 13, 2017 the festival, hailed as “the alt-classical world’s main showcase” (The New York Times), a will feature collaborations from more than 80 artists.

Performances include:

• Bang on a Can PCF Monday, January 9, 2017 7:30PM 


• San Fermin & NOW Ensemble Wednesday, January 25, 2017 7:30PM 


• Song Exploder w/ Hrishikesh Hirway Thursday, February 9, 2017 7:30PM 


• Ambrose Akinmusire & Kool A.D. Saturday, February 18, 2017 7:30PM 


• Thums Up & Arooj Aftab Saturday, March 4, 2017 7:30PM 


• Roomful of Teeth & Nick Zamutto Sunday, March 12, 2017 7:30PM 


• Steve Lehman and Selebeyone Monday, March 27, 2017 7:30PM 


• Alarm Will Sound Saturday, May 13, 2017 8:30PM 

Tuesday Matinees

The Tuesday Matinees series presents rising stars from all over the world who have won some of the most prestigious international prizes and wowed audiences on the stages of major concert halls. All performances take place at 2PM.  

Upcoming performances include:

• Andrew Tyson, piano


• Tuesday, January 10, 2017 


• Brown-Urioste-Canellakis Trio


• Tuesday, February 14, 2017


• Mayuko Kamio, violin


• Tuesday, April 04, 2017 


• Aeolus Quartet


• Tuesday, May 02, 2017