Posted in READER
Experimental Music
" Formerly, whenever anyone said the music I presented was experimental, I objected. "
Category: Arts
Posted in READER
In the Tradition of Dissent: Music at The New School for Social Research, 1926-33
" Berger’s [musical] oasis was the New School for Social Research, a small private educational institution tucked away in the bohemian community of Greenwich Village. "
Posted in HISTORIES
The Arts Curriculum, 1945-1960
The New School Bulletin 1945-1946 Art courses ranged from general, international art history, to specific styles and corresponding time periods and countries. There were also technique courses for amateurs and students with serious interests, which included oil painting, frescoes, mural paintings, drawings and composition, sculpting and photography. Music courses included basic introduction, theory, music history […]
Posted in HISTORIES
Art Models in the 1960s
Art models at The New School offer an insight to the changes, discrepancies, and happenings at the New School during the 1960s. The New School Archives provides us with records of letters, receipts, and work forms pertaining to the models during the period. Most telling is the raise in model wages that took place from […]
Posted in HISTORIES
The Spaces of the Dramatic Workshop
When the Dramatic Workshop separated from the New School, one of its main gripes was the lack of space. The records from 1943 show 20 full time students. This grew to 50 students by 1944 and 310 in 1946. Then there were the evening students – 440 in 1944, which grew steadily to 1,070 by […]
Posted in HISTORIES
The Dramatic Workshop
In January 1940, Erwin Piscator, a German theater director, launched the Dramatic Workshop at the New School for Social Research. In its first semester the program had approximately twenty students for acting and twenty-five for directing. The program sought to prepare students to work in many fields within theater rather than just focus on one. […]
Posted in HISTORIES
The Orozco Room
“What could have been my feeling when Orozco, the greatest mural painter of our time, proposed to contribute a mural. All I could say was, ‘God bless you. Paint me the picture. Paint as you must. I assure you freedom.’” - Alvin Johnson When the building at 66 W. 12th St. was in construction, in […]
Posted in HISTORIES
A Brief History of Fashion Design at Parsons from 1950
A Timeline of Important Events for Parsons Fashion Throughout the history of the Parsons fashion department from 1950-present there have been many important events that have helped shape the fashion department into the prestigious program that it is today. We have compiled a timeline of what we see as the most important events in the […]
Posted in HISTORIES
Professionals as Professors: Fashion before 1950
The Fashion Design program at Parsons has always been known for its professors and mentors, and the professors have always been industry professionals who bring the students outside of the classroom and into the real world. Before 1952 some of the most notable and iconic professors and mentors were Gilbert Adrian, Claire McCardell, and Christian […]
Posted in PEOPLE
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was one of the most respected American classical composers of the twentieth century. By incorporating popular forms of American music such as jazz and folk into his compositions, he created pieces both exceptional and innovative. As a spokesman for the advancement of indigenous American music, Copland made great strides in liberating it from […]