Music Courses Abroad and Across Cultures

NYU’s global academic centers open up incredible opportunities for both music and nonmusic majors to study musical styles in their original cultures. Through music courses abroad, students have the chance to engage with new musical scenes and learn from some of the world’s most renowned musicians and music scholars in an international setting.

At NYU Prague and NYU Paris, curricula are designed for students majoring in music subjects to complete their academic requirements. Students can take courses in music history, music technology, music education, and musical theatre. They can also participate in internships in the music industry.

Alexis Gonzalez, a Music Education major, minoring in Special Education, spent her junior year spring semester at NYU Prague. “I was able to conduct the student observations for my major at the International School of Prague. It was really interesting to see music education methods in practice in a different country.” Students at NYU Prague also have opportunities to play in well-known venues around the city. “We played at AghaRTA, a jazz club located in a 14th-century cellar just off Prague’s Old Town Square,” says Alexis, who is also a vocalist. “We also got to sing in historic churches and venues near Prague Castle. But my favorite place for a jam session was the basement of our residence hall. We played there so many times together that it felt like we were one big family.”

When Renee Shohet, a Vocal Performance major, concentrating in music theatre, studied at NYU Paris, she made connections between modern music and the past forms from which it is derived. “In my Music History IV class, we dug deep into 20th- and 21st-century music from a French perspective. It really expanded my understanding of how music has evolved since the Romantic period,” she explains. “Studying in Paris completely opened my eyes to how differently each country approaches music and music history.”

Studying for a semester or a year in one of the world’s cultural capitals also gives nonmusic majors the chance to experience the international music scene in authentic ways. At NYU Buenos Aires, Stjepan Klinar, a Political Science major, connected with part of Argentina’s musical history in his class The Music of Latin America. “The professor organized an informal lecture that featured two musicians from the 1960s Argentine rock band Almendra,” says Stjepan. “I stayed after class to talk to the musicians, and they showed a real interest not only in my knowledge of Argentine rock but also in my Spanish language skills. It reminded me how much I had progressed since coming to NYU Buenos Aires.”