NYU Prague Is a Study Away Home for Music-Minded Students

NYU Prague students live and study in a dynamic city with a rich musical history (think: Antonín Dvořák) and present. Its contemporary scene boasts venues for electronic music, hip-hop, jazz, and more. In addition, NYU Prague’s academic center is a pedestrian-friendly distance from sites like the Rudolfinum concert hall and National Theatre. Its residence halls, too, have practice spaces with instruments and world-class equipment that are open to all.

“Prague is incredibly accessible and basically has no bad parts,” says Professor Tony Ackerman. He teaches one of the site’s most popular courses, Expressive Culture: Prague Music Field Study. Through this course, students immerse themselves in Prague’s music culture. They attend performances across the city; research a local composer, genre, or performer; and visit major architectural sites and museums. 

CiCi Fader, a junior Piano major from Jericho, New York, explains how the course connected her with the city. “Expressive Culture was unlike any other I’ve taken,” she says. “I felt like I lived in Prague, not just that I was visiting.”

NYU Prague’s tight-knit community means students interact with and learn from each other, regardless of their area of study. “We have a natural environment for sharing ideas,” Ackerman explains. “We often see collaborations like Steinhardt music students creating scores for Film and Television majors from the Tisch School of the Arts.” Karolina Jirelová, music program coordinator, adds, “NYU Prague students have the chance to experience Czech folk music and some instruments they might not be familiar with.”

Beyond the classroom, music-minded students take advantage of abundant opportunities to perform, gain practical knowledge, and build an international network. “At NYU Prague, you can really make things happen,” says Antonio Johri. Antonio, a Dallas, Texas, native, is a Music Business major. He attended many inexpensive concerts, visited nearby countries, and gained practical work experience. During his internship at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute, the organization dedicated to the composer’s life and work, Antonio helped expand its marketing and partnerships with projects. For example, he launched new social media accounts and created video tours of its offerings. 

In addition, Antonio collaborated with local students to create an original track and accompanying music video. He presented the video as his final project for the Expressive Culture course. “I want to work in artists and repertoire on the label side,” he explains. “So this experience was great practice. I had to find the artists, get them into the session, and make sure they sounded right on the recording.”