Notable Alumni of Manhattan School of Music

Jared Bernstein 1955–

Economist, chair of Council of Economic Advisers under Biden

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, CUNY Hunter College

Charlie Puth 1991–

Singer-songwriter and record producer

Also attended: Berklee College of Music

Sibling: Stephen Puth (Gettysburg College)

Herbie Hancock 1940–

American jazz pianist and composer

Also attended: Grinnell College

Regina Spektor 1980–

Soviet-born singer-songwriter and pianist

Also attended: SUNY at Purchase College

Angelo Badalamenti 1937–2022

Composer known for David Lynch film scores

Master's degree · Piano · Class of 1959

Also attended: University of Rochester

Max Roach 1924–2007

Jazz drummer and composer, bebop pioneer

Also attended: University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Bob McGrath 1932–2022

Actor known for Bob on Sesame Street

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ahmed Best 1973–

Actor who voiced Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars

Harry Connick Jr. 1967–

Singer, pianist and actor

Also attended: CUNY Hunter College

Father: Harry Connick Sr. (Loyola University New Orleans)

Marcus Paus 1979–

Norwegian composer

Also attended: Musicians Institute

Donald Byrd 1932–2013

Jazz trumpeter, composer and vocalist

Also attended: Wayne State University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Teachers College at Columbia University

Yusef Lateef 1920–2013

Jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer

Also attended: University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Wayne State University

Dave Grusin 1934–

Composer and jazz pianist, Academy Award winner

Elliot Goldenthal 1954–

Film and theatrical score composer

Spouse: Julie Taymor (California Institute of the Arts, Oberlin College)

Ron Carter 1937–

Jazz double bassist, most-recorded in history

Also attended: University of Rochester

Dr. Luke 1973–

Record producer and songwriter known as Dr. Luke

John Lewis 1920–2001

Jazz pianist, founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet

Also attended: University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Carmine Coppola 1910–1991

Composer and father of Francis Ford Coppola

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Child: August Coppola (University of California-Los Angeles, Occidental College)

Child: Francis Ford Coppola (University of California-Los Angeles, Hofstra University)

John Corigliano 1938–

Composer, Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award winner

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Phil Woods 1931–2015

Jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Herbie Mann 1930–2003

Jazz flutist

Steve Gadd 1945–

Jazz drummer and session musician

Also attended: University of Rochester

Sophie B. Hawkins 1964–

Singer-songwriter

Rupert Holmes 1947–

Singer-songwriter and dramatist, known for Piña Colada Song

Melissa Manchester 1951–

Singer-songwriter and actress

Also attended: New York University

Jane Monheit 1977–

Jazz and traditional pop singer

Nellie McKay 1982–

Singer-songwriter and actress

Dawn Upshaw 1960–

Soprano and multiple Grammy Award winner

Also attended: Illinois Wesleyan University

Joseph Trapanese 1984–

Composer, conductor and music producer

Master of Arts

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Chris Potter 1971–

Jazz saxophonist, composer and multi-instrumentalist

Robert Ashley 1930–2014

Composer best known for his television operas

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Spouse: Mary Ashley (Massachusetts College of Art and Design)

Jason Moran 1975–

Jazz pianist, composer and educator

Paul Horn 1930–2014

Flautist and new age music pioneer

Also attended: Oberlin College

Walter Murphy 1952–

Composer, keyboardist and record producer

David Amram 1930–

Composer, arranger, and conductor

Also attended: George Washington University

Kristjan Järvi 1972–

Estonian conductor and composer

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Spouse: Leila Josefowicz (Curtis Institute of Music)

Sibling: Paavo Järvi (Curtis Institute of Music)

Page Hamilton 1960–

Guitarist and singer, founder of Helmet

Arthur Russell 1951–1992

American cellist, composer and producer

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Nicolas Flagello 1928–1994

American composer and conductor

Aaron Jay Kernis 1960–

Pulitzer-winning composer and Yale faculty member

Also attended: Yale University

Anthony Roth Costanzo 1982–

American countertenor and opera director

Also attended: Princeton University

Miguel Zenón 1976–

Puerto Rican alto saxophonist and composer

Also attended: Berklee College of Music

D. D. Jackson 1967–

Jazz pianist and composer

Larry Rosen 1940–2015

Music producer, recording engineer and entrepreneur

Edwin Birdsong 1941–2019

Keyboardist known for experimental funk and disco

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Herbert Deutsch 1932–2022

Composer, inventor and Hofstra professor emeritus

Charles Calello 1938–

Arranger, composer and record producer

Ludmila Ulehla 1923–2009

Composer and music educator

Edward Downes 1911–2001

Musicologist and Metropolitan Opera radio host

Also attended: Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York

Chris White 1936–2014

Jazz bassist and composer

Also attended: Berklee College of Music, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, CUNY--City College

John LaPorta 1920–2004

Jazz clarinetist and composer

Nils Vigeland 1950–

Composer, pianist and music teacher

Also attended: Harvard University, University at Buffalo

Sebastian Currier 1959–

Composer and former Columbia University professor

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Sibling: Nathan Currier (The Juilliard School)

Allan Schwartzberg 1942–

Percussionist and record producer

Anton Rovner 1970–

Russian-American composer and music critic

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, The Juilliard School

Adam Neely 1988–

Bassist, jazz musician and YouTuber

Master's degree · Class of 2012

Also attended: Berklee College of Music

Norman Bergen 1945–

Pianist, arranger and record producer

Anton Coppola 1917–2020

Opera conductor and composer

Sibling: Carmine Coppola (The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music)

Alondra de la Parra 1980–

Mexican conductor

Sibling: Mane de la Parra (Berklee College of Music)

Susan Graham 1960–

Mezzo-soprano opera singer

Also attended: Texas Tech University

Warren Mok 1958–

Hong Kong operatic tenor

Wang Jie 1980–

Shanghai-born American composer

Jenny Q. Chai 1983–

Chinese-American pianist specializing in contemporary music

Also attended: Curtis Institute of Music