New York Music School Tours
Manhattan is a fast-paced, exciting metropolis offering music groups a wide range of performance venues and eclectic musical tastes, making it the ideal destination for school band trips of all abilities and genres.
This, the most populous city in the United States, is a hub of activity and significantly impacts upon many areas including commerce, media, art, fashion, technology and entertainment. It is no wonder that New York is so lovingly described as the city that never sleeps.
To create a truly memorable experience for your group, NST will arrange an itinerary that also includes many of the attractions that this amazing city has to offer, at the very best group prices.
Prices start from£979pp
Price Shown includes
- 4 nights’ room only accommodation
- Return flights & airport transfers in resort
- Organisation, venue hire & publicity for 3 concerts
- Services of a Concert Assistant in resort
- Extensive group travel insurance
- 1 in 10 free place ratio
Price shown is based on 40 paying passengers departing from a London airport in November 2022 and is subject to availability.
On-tour support
Get even more from your trip with an NST Music Tour Manager! Call us for details.
On-tour support includes...
- Airport assistance during check-in, security and gate checks on your outbound flight from the UK
- Airport assistance when you arrive back at your UK airport when you book a coach transfer to take you home
- Services of a Tour Assistant
- Services of a Concert Assistant
Additional on-tour support available...
- Pre-booked meals at great group prices
Accommodation
Popular options in New York
Top performance venues
The Cathedral of St John the Divine
Groups can combine a 30-minute recital with a musically themed tour of the cathedral.
Grace Church
Groups can give a lunchtime or early afternoon recital or participate in a Sunday service in this beautiful historic church, located close to Greenwich Village.
St Paul’s Chapel
Due to its close proximity to the Twin Towers site, and for the part it played in the rescue effort helping survivors of 9/11, this chapel is now recognised throughout the world as St Paul’s Chapel at Ground Zero. Choirs have the opportunity to give a one-hour lunchtime concert in this very special venue.
Schools
During term time many schools host concerts, followed by time afterwards for socialising between groups.
Retirement Homes
These community venues are always happy to open their doors to guest groups to perform as part of their social programme. Residents provide a guaranteed warm welcome.
Central Park
Bands and orchestras can play in the bandshell of this world-famous park.
Bryant Park
Regular concerts are held during spring and summer at this popular park, located on 42nd Street in the heart of the theatre district.
Top visits
Broadway Instrumental Clinic
Arrive with prepared material of your choice to perform for a Broadway musician during a two-hour session. The Broadway musician will then guest conduct, give constructive feedback, and help your group perform to the best of their abilities. Your group will be able to ask questions about playing in a Broadway pit, training, and how one makes the journey from playing an instrument for fun to becoming a professional musician.
Stage School Performing Arts Workshop – Making Music
Learn techniques of vocal dynamics and acting through song while working with a musical director on a piece of Broadway music. Explore the art of marrying music and drama to effectively achieve great emotional impact. Then your students have the opportunity to perform the piece they have learned with a Broadway guest performer, followed by a Q&A session.
Stage School Workshops are delivered by qualified teaching artists (so you can get involved too) and can be tailored to your chosen show, as well as your curriculum requirements.
Wicked
The untold musical story of The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good...before Dorothy dropped in. Wicked takes a fantasy journey through the unseen side of Oz, sharing a tale of unexpected friendship and love.
Broadway Shows
See a spectacular Broadway performance - entertainment at its greatest! Choose from shows such as Wicked, Chicago and The Lion King.
Stage School Theatre Workshop – Musical Theatre Song & Movement
Your group will be provided with sheet music and work with a cast member (from a show you see) and a pianist to recreate a true Broadway rehearsal. Students will learn choreography, staging and music directly from the Broadway production they are seeing.
Stage School Workshops are delivered by qualified teaching artists (so you can get involved too) and can be tailored to your chosen show, as well as your curriculum requirements.
Wicked Experience – Behind the Emerald Curtain
Take a magical journey behind-the-scenes at smash hit musical, Wicked. Visit the exclusive ‘Behind the Emerald Curtain’ museum, including an intimate look at the Tony Award® winning sets and costumes, as well as some of the actual props and wigs from the show. The ultimate insider experience! Available Saturday mornings only.
Empire State Building
Venture over a quarter of a mile skyward and observe as your group takes in the scale of the immense urban landscape which opens up before them. This is a great way for your students to gain artistic inspiration away from the hustle and bustle of the streets below. A particularly popular evening visit.
Landmark Cruise
Take in a spectacular view of Manhattan from the water, and pick out the many famous landmarks which dominate its skyline.
Top of the Rock™
Experience the best and most complete daytime view of New York City! Bring your sketchbook with you and you’ll be spoilt for choice over what to sketch. The unparalleled views of New York’s landmarks include Central Park, the Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty – simply the most spectacular view in the city!
Lincoln Center of Performing Arts
Take a guided tour and bring your students closer to the world’s premier performing arts centre. On a daily tour they’ll learn more about the Lincoln Center’s iconic landmarks which have been showcased on Sex and the City and in movies like Black Swan, moonstruck and Ghostbusters.
Go behind-the-scenes at venues where a spectacular range of artists have performed, including Luciano Pavarotti and Bruce Springsteen. Each tour is unique, and you never know what might happen. You might sit in on a rehearsal, walk out onto a stage, or even meet a star.
Tours of the Met increase your understanding of how the company works. Backstage tours visit production areas not usually seen by the general public. Lincoln Center tours include the front of the house and the auditorium but do not go backstage.
Radio City
The largest indoor theatre in the world, this prime spot in Midtown was turned into Radio City Music Hall during the years of the Depression. Radio City is now a leading hall for popular concerts, stage shows, special attractions and media events, including the Grammys, Tonys, and MTV Video Music Awards! More than 700 movies opened here, including the original King Kong.
Here, your group will learn about its history, listen to the ‘mighty Wurlitzer’ and enjoy ‘a masterpiece of American Modernist design’.
Behind the Magic Tour at Disney’s New Amsterdam Theatre
Located in the heart of Broadway, The New Amsterdam Behind-the-Magic Tour is an amazing experience for students. Your group will discover the beautifully restored art and architecture of this landmark Broadway theatre built in 1903, once home to the legendary Ziegfeld Follies. Led by a Disney Tour Guide, groups can explore the history of Disney Theatrical Production’s on Broadway, view original props, costumes and set pieces and discover how classic Disney stories are brought to life on stage.
RiseNY - Part Museum. Part Ride.
RiseNY pairs museum-style galleries with an amusement park-quality ride.
Begin your adventure with an immersive film by an award-winning documentarian that transitions to an interactive self-guided walkthrough tracing tipping points in history that helped shape Music, Fashion, TV, Theater and more in each dedicated gallery:
- Discover the rise of Wall Street and The New York Stock Exchange in the Finance Gallery.
- Learn the history of mass media with Telsa’s Coil in the TV/Radio Gallery.
- Understand the law of physics through the Otis elevator brake in the Skyline Gallery.
- Visual, language and performing arts come to life in the Fashion, Music, Broadway and Film Galleries.
Then, board an extraordinary elevator experience that transports you to a spectacular virtual soaring ride! Feel the rush of wind in your hair as you “fly” over the world’s most stunning skyline.
Evening activites
- Broadway show
Transport
We can arrange for your group to fly from a range of UK airports and we’ll work with you to plan your route at the best value possible.
Flight
Giving you full support throughout
Before your tour
- Your own dedicated NST contact
- Bespoke tour itineraries
- Unrivalled local knowledge & expertise
- Curriculum linked visit programmes
- Great value for money - no hidden costs
- Free group leader inspection visits
- Risk assessment guidance
- Safety assured, transport, accommodation and visits
Whilst you're away
- Free educational resources
- Group-friendly accommodation
- Exceptional standards of coaching
- On-tour support from our reps on the ground
- Support & assistance from our specialists throughout your tour
- 24/7 support just a call away
- Extensive group travel insurance
On your return
- Priority rebooking services
- Rewarding your loyalty with our reward scheme
- You say, we listen - we're committed to continuously improving our tours
- School travel company of choice since 1967
Expert's comment
‘The ‘Big Apple’ has everything to offer music groups, from chorale groups to jazz bands. There is a varied range of venue types from the famous band shell in Central Park to various plazas, local schools and community centres. For groups with a more traditional programme there are a number of quality churches which welcome visiting performers and some actually encourage more diverse programmes.’